Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on Acrylamide

In a previous article on acrylamide, I wrote that potato chips and French fries are best avoided for their high acrylamide content. What follows are answers to a few questions on acrylamide that were submitted by readers:

What other foods are high in acrylamide and should be avoided? - Tyler G.

According to a report written by a joint committee between the World Health Organization and the United Nations in February 2005, the following foods contain significant amounts of acrylamide, ranked from highest to lowest:

1. Coffee extracts
2. Coffee substitutes
3. Potato chips
4. Decaffeinated coffee
5. Breads and rolls
6. Pastries and cookies
7. French fries
8. Green tea made from roasted leaves
9. Ground, instant, or roasted coffee
10. Baby food (biscuits)
11. Baked potato
12. Breakfast cereals

Your recent health newsletter explains to avoid starchy foods that are fried or baked at a "high" temperature, such as french fries and potato chips. I was just wondering exactly what constitutes a "high" temperature. Is eating a baked potato, or oven-baked potato wedges okay? - Stephanie K.

Significant amounts of acrylamide can be formed when foods - particularly plant foods that are high in carbohydrates and low in protein - are cooked beyond 120 degrees Celsius. It is better for your health to eat steamed and boiled potatoes with a healthy dressing than it is to eat any varieties of baked or fried potatoes.

Please keep in mind that our bodies are exposed to harmful substances daily, and are equipped to deal with most of them and keep us as healthy as possible. The take-home message is to avoid eating French fries, potato chips, and other foods high in acrylamide daily.

Is it just the action of heating the starches themselves, whether they be baked or fried, that causes the acrylamide byproduct, or does it matter which starch it is, and if fried, what kind of oil it is fried in? - Carol

As of yet, not enough research has been done to answer this question definitively. What we do know is that the two most significant factors that influence acrylamide formation are length of cooking time and cooking temperature. Longer cooking time and higher cooking temperature increase chances of acrylamide formation.

I am not aware of any evidence that indicates that the type of oil that is used for cooking can influence the amount of acrylamide that is formed. In case you haven't read our guide to choosing healthy oils, please note that extra-virgin olive oil and coconut oil are two of the healthiest oils that you can cook with.

Are the organic corn tortilla chips and the like made not by big corporations, but by smaller, known "good, healthy brands" any different? I know they mostly contain unhealthful polyunsaturated oils. But, what if they were made with, say, palm or coconut oil, would the acrylamide still be a byproduct? - Carol

Reports by the WHO, UN, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest do not specifically list any numbers for corn products, and I haven't been able to track down relevant numbers from other reliable sources.

Beyond cooking time and temperature, the amount of acrylamide that can be formed in carbohydrate-rich foods depends on how much sugar and asparagine (an amino acid) are present in the foods in question. Both organic and non-organic corn contain significant amounts of both, so are definitely susceptible to acrylamide formation when heated beyond 120 degrees Celsius. The type of oil used to cook organic or non-organic corn should not impact how much acrylamide is formed.

Does the same warning go for organic whole grain crackers that have surely been processed at high heat, and products like them, as well? There are so many of these types of products in health food stores. (I know they aren't really healthy. It is like choosing the best of the worst!) - Carol

Unfortunately, organic and non-organic whole grain crackers that have been baked at high temperatures can come with significant amounts of acrylamide. Certainly not as much as potato chips, French fries, and coffee do, but enough to cause health problems if consumed in large quantities and on a regular basis.

If you're going to enjoy a handful of whole grain crackers a couple of times a week, try having them with a fresh, homemade salsa or guacamole. The phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals found in fresh vegetables and fruits can increase the strength of your immune system and possibly provide protection against the genotoxic and neurotoxic properties of acrylamide.

Related Posts:

Acrylamide: What Is It, and Which Foods Contain It?

Top Twenty Acrylamide-Rich Foods