Acrylamide

[RobinN]

This came across a Yahoo group that I read, and I have gone looking for more info on it.
The list of foods is quite stunning.

> Potato Chip Chemical May Cause 1/3 Of Diet Cancers Public health
attorneys in California have potato chip makers in their sights for
not listing a cancer-causing chemical present in many brands.
>
> That chemical is acrylamide. It is an industrial chemical used in
plastics, pesticides and sewage treatment that also can occur when
starchy foods, such as chips, are processed at high temperatures.
>
> The World Health Organization has said acrylamide may be
responsible for up to one-third of all cancers caused by diet, as
demonstrated by laboratory animal studies. Acrylamide is already on
California's list of chemicals known to cause cancer, but some
chipmakers haven't listed it on their product packaging as required
by Proposition 65 statute.
>
> The attorneys have filed Proposition 65 notices with the
manufacturers of Lays, Pringles, Kettle Chips and Cape Cod chips.
Research has shown those brands have unsafe levels of acrylamide in
some of their chip varieties. The study looked at one ounce servings,
which ranged from 11 to 20 chips depending on the brand, and
determined the acrylamide content was substantially more than the 0.2
micrograms per day amount which prompts the Proposition 65 warning.
>
> The brands tested and cited for high levels of acrylamide are:
Lay's Baked!, Lay's Stax BBQ, Lay's KC Masterpiece. Lay's Natural
Country Barbecue, Lay's Light KC Barbecue Masterpiece, Pringles Snack
Stacks (Pizzalicious Flavor), Pringles Sweet Mesquite BBQ, Kettle
Chips Lightly Salted, Kettle Chips Honey Dijon, Cape Cod Robust
Russet and Cape Cod Classic Chips.
>
> Processed food manufacturers have reportedly asked Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger for a exemption to Proposition 65 labeling for foods
with carcinogens caused by heat processing. The governor's office is
expected to announce its decision by August.

2. What are the known health effects of acrylamide?


Historically, exposure to high levels of acrylamide in the workplace has been shown to cause neurological damage.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/acrylamideinfoods

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/acrydata.html

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/chem/chemicals/acrylamide/en/

 

[RobinN]

In July of 2006, the United States Food and Drug Administration released the results of its latest research on the acrylamide content of common foods.

The top 20 foods by average acrylamide intake by the U.S. population are as follows:

1. French Fries (made in restaurants)
2. French Fries (oven baked)
3. Potato Chips
4. Breakfast Cereals
5. Cookies
6. Brewed Coffee
7. Toast
8. Pies and Cakes
9. Crackers
10. Soft Bread
11. Chile con Carne
12. Corn Snacks
13. Popcorn
14. Pretzels
15. Pizza
16. Burrito/Tostada
17. Peanut Butter
18. Breaded Chicken
19. Bagels
20. Soup Mix

Acrylamide has been shown to cause cancer in animals. Exposure to large doses of acrylamide has also been shown to cause neurological damage in humans.

Acrylamide tends to form when foods that are high in carbohydrates and/or an amino acid called asparagine are cooked at high temperatures. Cooking methods that tend to require high temperatures - like frying, roasting, and baking - are more likely to cause acrylamide formation in food. Non-cooked and boiled foods almost never contain detectable levels of acrylamide.

The top two food groups listed above - French fries and potato chips - are easily two of the most damaging foods to human health. Despite the creation of "healthy" varieties of French fries and potato chips like New York Fries - Fried in 100% Non-Hydrogenated Sunflower Oil and Trader Joe's Veggie Chips Potato Snacks, it's important to know that all French fries and potato chips that have been deep-fried in oil are heavily laced with acrylamide and pose a serious threat to one's health.

http://drbenkim.com/articles/acrylamide-food.htm