Acrylamide - A Cancer-Causing Chemical?!

A photo taken from a McDonald's in California caused quite a fuss yesterday:

After reading this warning, you can understand why it scared some people. Is there really a cancer-causing chemical in foods that some people consume several times a week?!

Unfortunately, this chemical--acrylamide--IS found in foods such as french fries, potato chips, and even canned black olives. While this chemical is most likely a human carcinogen, the dangers of this chemical on humans are still being investigated.

Here are the facts that I found, with the list of websites cited. There is a lot of scientific facts that discuss the possible danger, so in my opinion, all fried foods should be completely avoided (at restaurants AND at home). There is nothing healthy about fried foods, and it just doesn't seem worth the health risk to me. It is almost impossible to know how food is prepared in restaurants--let alone at which temperature--so I also continue to recommend eating foods cooked in your own kitchen whenever possible. If you take the time to plan your grocery trips and prepare your meals ahead of time, there really is no excuse for pulling through the "drive-thru". Humans once survived without fast food... my family seems to have not only survived--but thrived--without it.

1. What is acrylamide?
   Acrylamide is a chemical that can form in some foods during high-temperature cooking processes, such as frying, roasting, and baking. Acrylamide in food forms from sugars and an amino acid that are naturally present in food; it does not come from food packaging or the environment.
2.  Is acrylamide found anywhere else? Does it have industrial uses? 
   Acrylamide is produced industrially for use in products such as plastics, grouts, water treatment products, and cosmetics. Acrylamide is also found in cigarette smoke.
3.  Is acrylamide something new in food? When was acrylamide first detected in food? 
   Acrylamide has probably always been present in cooked foods. However, acrylamide was first detected in certain foods in April 2002.
4.  Is there a risk from eating foods that contain acrylamide?
   Acrylamide caused cancer in animals in studies where animals were exposed to acrylamide at very high doses. Acrylamide causes nerve damage in people exposed to very high levels at work. FDA has not yet determined the exact public health impact, if any, of acrylamide from the much lower levels found in foods. FDA is conducting research studies to determine whether acrylamide in food is a potential risk to human health.
   
   
   FDA's best advice for acrylamide and eating is that consumers adopt a healthy eating plan, consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and added sugars.  
   http://www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/foodcontaminantsadulteration/chemicalcontaminants/acrylamide/ucm053569.htm
   
   
   
   
   
   In 2008, a study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology found that women who eat roughly one serving of potato chips a day are twice as likely as those who do not to develop ovarian or endometrial cancers.
   
   Fried potatoes are not the only foods that contain acrylamide, though. Any starchy foods that are cooked too long or at too high a temperature can form acrylamide, including even grilled meats and vegetables with grill marks on them. Toasted breads and cereals, baked foods, browned meats, and even some dried fruits also contain acrylamide (http://www.naturalnews.com/024942_a...).
   
   "Consumers can reduce their exposure to acrylamide by limiting their intake of potato chips and French fries...and quitting smoking, which is a major source of acrylamide," said Mary Ann Johnson, PhD, a spokesperson at the American Society for Nutrition.
   
   Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/030241_acrylamides_breast_cancer.html#ixzz1jLnLenei
   
   
   
1. Is there acrylamide in food?Researchers in Europe and the United States have found acrylamide in certain foods that were heated to a temperature above 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit), but not in foods prepared below this temperature (1). Potato chips and French fries were found to contain higher levels of acrylamide compared with other foods (2). The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated that the levels of acrylamide in foods pose a “major concern” and that more research is needed to determine the risk of dietary acrylamide exposure (2). 
2. How does cooking produce acrylamide?Asparagine is an amino acid (a building block of proteins) that is found in many vegetables, with higher concentrations in some varieties of potatoes. When heated to high temperatures in the presence of certain sugars, asparagine can form acrylamide. High-temperature cooking methods, such as frying, baking, or broiling, have been found to produce acrylamide (3), while boiling and microwaving appear less likely to do so. Longer cooking times can also increase acrylamide production when the cooking temperature is above 120 degrees Celsius (4, 5). 
3. Is there anything in the cooking process that can be changed to lower dietary acrylamide exposure?Decreasing cooking time, blanching potatoes before frying, and postdrying (drying in a hot air oven after frying) have been shown to decrease the acrylamide content of some foods (6, 7). 
4. Should I change my diet?Acrylamide levels in food vary widely depending on the manufacturer, the cooking time, and the method and temperature of the cooking process (8, 9). The best advice at this time is to follow established dietary guidelines and eat a healthy, balanced diet that is low in fat and rich in high-fiber grains, fruits, and vegetables. 
   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/acrylamide-in-food