Acrylamide is found in products such as potato crisps, French fries, bread, biscuits and coffee. It was first detected in foods in April 2002 although it is likely that it has been present in food since cooking began. Acrylamide also has many non-food industrial uses and is present in tobacco smoke.
Food and cigarette smoke are the major sources of acrylamide exposure for people in the general population (3, 4). 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.
Leaves through bodily fluids: Once in your body, acrylamide enters your body fluids. Acrylamide and its breakdown products leave your body mostly through urine; small amounts may leave through feces, exhaled air, and breast milk.
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. Generally, acrylamide is more likely to accumulate when cooking is done for longer periods or at higher temperatures.
Acrylamide is a chemical that forms when certain plant-based foods are cooked at high temperatures, such as baked goods, French fries, peanut butter or potato chips.
The formation of acrylamide in both banana varieties was enhanced with an increase in both reducing sugars (glucose and fructose).
All types of coffee containing roasted beans contain some acrylamide. Coffee substitutes, such as cereal and chicory root coffees, also contain acrylamide if they have undergone a roasting process. The only type of coffee that does not contain acrylamide is that which contains unroasted, or green, coffee beans.
So far, reviews of studies done in groups of people (epidemiologic studies) suggest that dietary acrylamide isn't likely to be related to risk for most common types of cancer. But ongoing studies will continue to provide new information on whether acrylamide levels in foods are linked to increased cancer risk.
The main targets of acrylamide toxicity are the nervous system and reproductive system. Nervous system effects such as muscle weakness, numbness in hands and feet, sweating, unsteadiness, and clumsiness were reported in some acrylamide workers.
Oats have the second highest acrylamide forming potential of rye, wheat, barley and oats. Several studies have found high levels of acrylamide in oat products that exceed the benchmark limits within the EU.
Boiling potatoes and microwaving whole potatoes with skin on to make “microwaved baked potatoes” does not produce acrylamide. [Based on FDA studies.] Soaking raw potato slices in water for 15-30 minutes before frying or roasting helps reduce acrylamide formation during cooking.
This process is known as 'cold sweetening'. Coffee – acrylamide is produced when coffee beans are roasted. Breakfast cereals – cornflakes and all-bran flakes are the worst offenders, while porridge oats contain no acrylamide at all.
(2023) reported that orange sweet potato showed the highest acrylamide content, and the ranged acrylamide amount was 524–1279 μg /kg. In another case Kalita et al. (2013) reported that purple tubers have less acrylamide than orange tubers, and the acrylamide values ranged between 2104 and 2978 μg/kg in potato chips.
This type of bread is a rich source of strong health-promoting compounds such as dietary fiber, mainly concentrated in the outer portions (bran) and germ of the grain [3]. However, the researchers have found more acrylamide content in whole wheat bread than that found in refined or wheat bran breads [4] .
Black coffee has the most health benefits without the extra calories and fat from additions like cream, sugar, flavored syrups and sweetened foams, which turn it into a “dessert in a mug,” Mazarin says.
Based on what is currently known, it is not possible to determine the precise level of risk for human health from dietary exposure to acrylamide. However, research conducted by Health Canada and internationally indicates that french fries and potato chips typically contain the highest levels of acrylamide.
Be aware of differences between brands
“There also seems to be significant differences between brands when it comes to acrylamide levels in coffee. Based on data provided by the FDA, Folgers and Taster's Choice had the highest levels on average–both in their instant and non-instant products.
A study by Zhang, Huang, Xiao, Seiber, and Mitchell (2011) and Lukac et al. (2007) showed that acrylamide was formed in almonds (Lukac et al., 2007; Zhang et al., 2011). Furthermore, Amrein et al. (2005) detected acrylamide on almond products (Amrein et al., 2005).
Cocoa and its derivatives often have lower levels of acrylamide than potato chips, baked or fried products, and coffee; hence, the reliable determination of acrylamide concentrations at low levels has become an analytical challenge.
But this compound is, in fact, almost always present in coffee and potato chips, as well as many other foods such as cereal, French fries, peanut butter, even prune juice. Acrylamide levels are higher in things that are fried like French fries.
(To put these numbers in perspective, you'd consume around 150 µg of acrylamide in one large order of McDonald's fries, or 27 µg in a bowl of processed breakfast cereal.)
By comparison, a one-ounce serving of Cheerios has about seven micrograms of acrylamide, and a six-ounce serving of french fries has about 60 micrograms of acrylamide, according to CSPI.
Also, the lowest amount of acrylamide were found in the skin of fried chicken, when the chicken was fried in fresh oil at 150 °C for 11 min. Also, when the chickens are fried in fresh oil and used oil mixed at 150 °C for 12 min, they have the lowest levels of acrylamide [2].