What are the side effects of acrylamide?
Nervous system effects such as muscle weakness, numbness in hands and feet, sweating, unsteadiness, and clumsiness were reported in some acrylamide workers. However, most people are not exposed to acrylamide levels high enough to cause these effects.
What foods are high in acrylamide?
The major food sources of acrylamide are French fries and potato chips; crackers, bread, and cookies; breakfast cereals; canned black olives; prune juice; and coffee. Acrylamide levels in food vary widely depending on the manufacturer, the cooking time, and the method and temperature of the cooking process (5, 6).
How much acrylamide is safe?
Tolerable intakes of acrylamide should be set at 2.6 micrograms per kilogram of body weight to avoid the cancer risk, says a new toxicology study from the US. This would be equivalent to 182 micrograms for a 70 kg human as a tolerable daily intake (TDI) for carcinogenic levels.
Is acrylamide bad for the body?
Is acrylamide really harmful? Acrylamide can definitely be harmful. Yet, as is often the case in nutrition, the devil is in the dose. Workplace exposure to very high doses of acrylamide can cause nerve damage and disorders of the nervous system ( 13 , 14 ).
How do you stop acrylamide?
Baking foods to a golden yellow, or lighter colour, and at lower oven temperatures will reduce acrylamide levels. When cooking foods such as toast and toasted sandwiches do not over-toast or burn. Cooking bread to a golden colour, or lighter, will help to keep acrylamide levels lower.
What can acrylamide do to the body?
Scientists have known for years that acrylamide is capable of causing nerve damage in humans, including muscle weakness and impaired muscle coordination, particularly from industrial exposure to large levels of the chemical.
Should I worry about acrylamide?
Acrylamide can definitely be harmful. Yet, as is often the case in nutrition, the devil is in the dose. Workplace exposure to very high doses of acrylamide can cause nerve damage and disorders of the nervous system ( 13 , 14 ).
Is acrylamide in all bread?
FDA chemist Lauren Robin explains that acrylamide is a chemical that can form in some foods—mainly plant-based foods—during high-temperature cooking processes like frying and baking. These include potatoes, cereals, coffee, crackers or breads, dried fruits and many other foods.
What does acrylamide do to the body?
Should I be worried about acrylamide?
Acrylamide can definitely be harmful. Workplace exposure to very high doses of acrylamide can cause nerve damage and disorders of the nervous system ( 13 , 14 ). Studies in animals have also repeatedly shown that high amounts of acrylamide can cause cancer when eaten.