The chemical acrylamide, a “probable carcinogen,” has been found in potato chips, and the news is disturbing enough to make food science writer Robert L. Wolke swear off the snacks for good.
“I love potato chips,” writes Wolke in The Washington Post. “Doesn’t everyone? But I have just thrown away half a bag of them, and I intend to buy no more.”
According to Wolke, acrylamide is created by chemical reactions that occur during the cooking process when foods with starches and proteins are heated. The amount of the chemical produced varies depending on cooking time, temperature, and other factors.
Although the word is out on what level of acrylamide consumption is hazardous, Wolke is switching from chips to nuts, just to be safe:
But why did I swear off potato chips, when the jury has barely begun to consider the hazards of acrylamide at potato-chip consumption levels? When no safe maximum level of acrylamide in human foods has been determined? Well, it’s a lot easier to quit potato chips than to quit smoking, and there are many alternative salty crunchy-munchies that can accompany my cocktail without endangering my health —at least not so far as has been discovered. So I switched to peanuts. Will their time come?
For more information about acrylamide, Wolke points to a survey of acrylamide levels in foods conducted by the Food and Drug Administration and new federal legislation that would affect how states and localities can regulate toxin levels in foods.
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i would love to know if it is the factory that makes the poison or if it happens with homemade potato(e) chips too
Oh no – say it isn’t true!
I think this is very alarmist rhetoric. If you look very close to the bottom of the actual report you will find….
Central Market Roasted Potatoes = 114
I dont have a central market near where I live, but how different can this be from the way an average potato has been cooked for the last few thousand years?
And Josh, better give up your daily dose of coffee too!
Central Market Potatoes, sure, but maybe he’s been eating those Trader Joe’s chips, which come in at a level of 1970!
But, seriously, while some food fears do get blown out of proportion, I don’t think of Wolke as an alarmist (in fact, he defines himself as not being a “chicken little” type in the first place). And, while I’m not going to stop eating chips (or coffee, for that matter) any time soon, the article put acrylamide on my radar screen, and it’s something I am interested in becoming more aware of.
Where are the big brand names on th elist Lay’s for example. Do you trust FDA
this is the tip of the iceberg
health Canada has a good introduction to what you need to know and some links
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/chem-chim/acrylamide/acrylamide_and_food-acrylamide_et_aliment_e.html
and my beloved cape cod chips are listed in this report
http://www.envirolaw.org/report_how_potato_chips_stack_up.pdf#search=%22Acrylamide%20cape%20cod%22
thank god, they are some of the “better” ones
moderation moderation moderation….??
and then look at how Californians passed Prop 65, which they are using get warning labels on things like chips and fries…and the food industry is working to have the fed gov. kill any such state initiatives…. $$$$$$$$$
lauriechow – it will not happen with homemade potato chips – you need to bake them at high heat (quick bake) to get the chemical reaction.
I gather that any processed “baked” food is a possible candidate – like cereals, crackers etc. I would worry more about cereal as it’s much more of a staple in the US than potato chips. Just another good reason to read labels and make better choices when you buy food.
has anyone studied how many chips have to be eaten in order to die a death by potato chips? Seems to me that people are looking deep (and everywhere) to find something to be afraid of.
I gave up smoking ten years ago. That was my total life time contribution to giving up things.