Acrylamide in chips and fries: what FDA says about the risk

This page is for anyone who has seen headlines linking chips, fries, or toast to cancer. It explains what acrylamide is, what the research shows, and FDA's tips for cooking.

Acrylamide is not an additive. Nobody puts it in your food on purpose. FDA describes it as a chemical that can form in some foods during high-heat cooking, like frying, roasting, and baking.

The reaction itself is ordinary kitchen chemistry. Acrylamide forms from sugars and an amino acid called asparagine, when food gets cooked at high heat. It is part of the same browning that gives fried potatoes their color and taste.

That fact tells you which foods are affected. Plant-based foods react most, especially potato products, grain products, and coffee. FDA notes that acrylamide does not form, or forms at lower levels, in dairy, meat, and fish products.

FDA's summary of the science is careful, and that care matters. Acrylamide caused cancer in animals, but only in studies where the animals got very high doses.

Two parts of that sentence carry weight. The finding was in animals. The doses were very high.

Neither point can be ignored. FDA's advice, below, is measured and does not tell people to cut out these foods.

FDA notes that in 2010, a joint expert panel from the FAO and WHO said acrylamide is a human health concern. FDA's page does not describe what that panel asked for, so this page does not either.

NCI states the human evidence more directly. Its acrylamide fact sheet says a large number of studies in humans have found no consistent evidence that dietary acrylamide exposure is associated with the risk of any type of cancer.

A hazard shown in animals at very high doses. A concern named by a joint expert panel in 2010. No consistent link found in human studies. Holding all three facts at once is the accurate picture.

For a topic that generates scary headlines, FDA stays remarkably calm. Its advice is simple: follow a healthy eating plan that matches the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. FDA describes that pattern as rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It limits saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.

FDA does not tell people to avoid fried, roasted, or baked foods altogether.

Want to cut down how much acrylamide forms? FDA's page on acrylamide and diet, food storage and food preparation gives clear, easy steps.

• Comparing ways to cook potatoes, frying causes the highest acrylamide formation. Roasting potato pieces causes less, followed by baking whole potatoes.
• Boiling potatoes, and microwaving whole potatoes with the skin on, does not produce acrylamide.
• Soaking raw potato slices in water for 15 to 30 minutes before frying or roasting helps reduce formation.
• Cook cut potato products to a golden yellow color rather than a brown color. Brown areas tend to contain more acrylamide.
• Toast bread to a light brown color rather than a dark brown color.
• Store potatoes outside the refrigerator, preferably in a dark, cool place such as a closet or a pantry. Refrigerating them can result in increased acrylamide during cooking.

That last tip about potato storage is the one most people have never heard. It costs nothing to try.

FDA's advice centers on your overall eating pattern. If chips and fries make up a big part of your diet, ask your care team or a dietitian whether your pattern needs changes.

FDA's guidance does not tell people to cut these foods out. Its tips are to cook potatoes golden instead of dark and keep them out of the fridge.

FDA says acrylamide is found mainly in plant foods such as potato products, grain products, and coffee. Its tip for bread is to toast it to a light brown rather than a dark brown, which lowers the amount of acrylamide.

FDA's advice is about an overall eating pattern rather than a single food to avoid.