What is acrylamide and how is it used?
Acrylamide is an industrial compound used in the production of many different products, mainly plastics. It is not added to food. Can acrylamide be found in food? Yes. Numerous studies indicate that acrylamide can be found in some baked and fried foods. It forms from sugars and an amino acid that are naturally present in food. It does not come from packaging or the environment. While we have been enjoying baked and fried foods for generations, acrylamide was not previously identified nor considered a human health risk in food. Which foods have acrylamide? Research now indicates that acrylamide occurs in certain foods when they are prepared using traditional cooking methods like frying, roasting, baking, and toasting, whether in a food production plant, in a restaurant, or at home. Acrylamide is found mainly in foods made from plants, such as potato products, grain products, or coffee. Acrylamide does not form, or forms at lower levels, in dairy, meat, and fish products. The U.S. FDA pr
