Agency study into acrylamide and domestic cooking

Wednesday 25 July 2007

Research investigating the levels of acrylamide produced when cooking at home has been published by the Agency.

Acrylamide is a chemical that can be produced naturally in food, as a result of cooking starchy foods at high temperatures through baking and frying, as well as grilling and roasting. The aim of this study was to measure the levels of acrylamide formed when potatoes are cooked in the home.

Since the initial 2002 discovery of unexpectedly large amounts of acrylamide in some foods, research has continued internationally to improve understanding of the toxicology, analytical methodology, formation and potential methods of reducing acrylamide levels in food. Numerous research projects have been conducted worldwide and this study has been conducted as part of that international effort.

Acrylamide is genotoxic (i.e. has the potential to damage DNA) and known to cause cancer in animals. It is considered probable that it could also cause cancer in humans, although this is not certain. Based on independent expert scientific advice, the Agency believes that exposure to DNA damaging, cancer causing chemicals like acrylamide should be as low as reasonably achievable.

In February 2005, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) carried out a safety evaluation of acrylamide in food. JECFA concluded that, at the current dietary intake levels, acrylamide may be a public health concern and therefore appropriate efforts to reduce acrylamide concentrations in foodstuffs should continue.

The findings from this study show that acrylamide is formed in potatoes cooked at the high temperatures, typically used in domestic cooking. Acrylamide was formed in roast, sautéed, chipped and baked potatoes. It was not formed in boiled or microwaved potatoes.

The Agency is not changing its advice to people on the basis of this study and continues to recommend that people should eat a balanced diet, including plenty of fruit and vegetables, bread, other cereals and potatoes and should limit the amount of sugary and fatty foods they eat, including fried food such as chips and crisps.

The research confirms that chips made from fresh potatoes cooked to a lighter colour have lower acrylamide levels than chips cooked to a darker colour. The same results were found with fried and roast onions. It was also found that levels of acrylamide are minimised if frozen chips are cooked according to the instructions on the packaging.

The results also confirmed that the level of acrylamide formed in potatoes was linked to the amount of sugar in the potatoes. The study showed that storing potatoes in a fridge causes an increase in their sugar content which may lead to higher acrylamide levels when cooked. However, chips made from fresh potatoes which have been soaked in water for 30 minutes prior to frying were found to have almost 70% lower levels of acrylamide than those not soaked.