Heat-Induced Acrylamide May Be a Primary Hazard of Processed Food

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Heat-Induced Acrylamide May Be a Primary Hazard of Processed Food

Story at-a-glance:

  • Acrylamide is a cancer-causing and potentially neurotoxic chemical and is created when primarily carbohydrate foods are cooked at high temperatures, whether baked, fried, roasted, grilled or toasted
  • Acrylamide can form in many foods cooked or processed at temperatures above 212°F (100°C), but carbohydrate-rich foods such as potato chips and French fries, are the most vulnerable to this heat-induced byproduct
  • Pet foods also contain acrylamide and heterocyclic amines—both potent carcinogens—courtesy of commercial pet food processing methods
  • Animal studies have shown that exposure to acrylamide increases the risk of several types of cancer, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers acrylamide a “probable human carcinogen”
  • Ideally, consume foods that are raw or minimally processed to avoid these types of toxic byproducts—the more raw food, the better

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