AICR Statement on Acrylamide

American Institute for Cancer Research
Monday, 14 July 2003

Early in 2002, a series of studies undertaken in Sweden, Norway and Great Britain suggested that foods such as French fries, potato chips and crackers contain levels of a substance called acrylamide that has been classified as a "medium hazard probable human carcinogen." According to the authors, acrylamide is produced when certain starches are baked or fried at high temperatures.

Subsequent research by government and independent researchers has confirmed the presence of acrylamide in these foods, but many important questions remain. The US Food and Drug Administration is now working to determine which precise chemical reactions produce acrylamide, how to measure its presence in food, and how it behaves once it enters the human body.

In the meantime, here's what we know:

1. Although very high concentrations of acrylamide have been reported to induce genetic mutations and tumors in animal tests, the Environmental Protection Agency considers acrylamide a "probable" human cancer risk. Previous studies involving workers exposed to acrylamide found no increase in cancer risk.

2. The studies in question have shown that acrylamide concentrations in different foods - and even in different brands of the same food - vary widely. This suggests that formation of acrylamide is closely linked to specific methods of food preparation. It may be possible to mimimize or even eliminate acrylamide production.

3. In the meantime, it should be noted that potato chips, French fries, crackers and many other high-acrylamide foods are high-fat, high-calorie, nutritionally poor options. Diets high in such foods have long been linked to increased cancer risk for reasons that have nothing to do with acrylamide. Such unhealthy diets tend to crowd other foods off the plate - foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans, which have been shown to offer serious protection against cancer. High-fat, high-calorie diets also contribute to obesity, which in turn increases the risk for many cancers.

4. For each of the above reasons, the best advice for those concerned about cancer risk remains unchanged: opt for a diet high in plant foods, especially cancer-fighting vegetables and fruits, limit fried, fatty and salty foods, get regular physical activity and maintain a healthy weight, limit consumption of alcohol and do not smoke.

For more information, or to contact American Institute for Cancer Research, see their website at: www.aicr.org