What is Acrylamide?

In the world of science, there are always new topics and compounds that are discovered, but not all of them get much publicity.  One of these is acrylamide.  Now you’re probably saying to yourself, “what even is acrylamide and why should I worry about it?”

Well, acrylamide is a chemical that has many industrial uses, but it’s also formed in the process of cooking foods with high carbohydrates and low in protein.  It was discovered in 2002 by the Swedish National Food Authority and its most important defining factor is that it’s a known carcinogen!  Yes, you read that correctly.  The goal of the European (EU) regulatory authorities was to establish a benchmark and aim for As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) levels to be present within foods.  Now, there are many things in this day and age that are known carcinogens, but the real important question when dealing with these types of chemicals is, “How much at risk am I?”

When it comes to acrylamide in food, acrylamide is produced when the food is baked, fried, grilled, or toasted, at high temperatures (>120oC).  The amino acid, asparagine, in high carbohydrate food reacts with sugars and causes acrylamide to form.  Some typical foods that are monitored by the EU are potato products like potato chips, bakery products like bread, cereal products, coffee, dried fruits, and more.  However, the levels produced in food when cooked this way can vary.  Now, this doesn’t mean you must “quit cold turkey” and stop eating baked goods and cereals or drinking coffee entirely!  All this means is that there should be a balance of these foods with other foods.  Everything is okay in moderation, it’s all about balance, like many things in life.

So now that we know what foods acrylamide can be found in, where exactly is acrylamide found in commercially available products?  It’s found as an additive in many everyday use materials and even some commonly used materials such as: cosmetics, plastics, grouts, soil conditioners, and water treatment products.  It has even been found in cigarette smoke!

Now, you might be asking yourself about the ALARA levels when it comes to food.  Check out some of the regulations and additional information about acrylamide in certain foods for the EU.  Your typical contract research organizations (CROs), some food manufacturers themselves, and academia/research institutes are the ones actively testing for acrylamide.  Of course, academia and research institutes would be trying to find ways to prevent or mitigate the acrylamide formation altogether.  Before any mitigation can be undergone, there needs to be an accurate method to reliably extract and ultimately detect the acrylamide within a given sample.  The EU has a method protocol, and the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has provided guidance about acrylamide in food, but since it is a “guidance” it’s not enforced.  Stay tuned for the next post about acrylamide!