Acrylamides -chips and French Fries - Carcinogen

[Guest guest]

Elchanan had pointed me toward info on Acrylamides, and I found the

following, and found it unbelievably interesting:

 

note the " safe " levels at the top of the chart, and then how much was

found in various " substances " (hate to call them food..)

 

soruce: http://www.cspinet.org/new/200206251.html

 

 

[New Tests Confirm Acrylamide in American Foods

 

Snack Chips, French Fries Show Highest Levels Of Known Carcinogen

CSPI Calls On FDA To Test More Food

 

Popular American brands of snack chips and French fries contain

disturbingly high levels of acrylamide, according to new laboratory

tests commissioned by the Center for Science in the Public Interest

(CSPI). The tests were conducted by the same Swedish government

scientists that two months ago first discovered the cancer-causing

chemical in certain fried and baked starchy foods. CSPI's tests

included several popular brands of snack chips, taco shells, French

fries, and breakfast cereals—the kinds of foods that were initially

shown to have some of the highest acrylamide levels.

 

Today is the first day of a three-day closed meeting in Geneva of

experts convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) to discuss

the health ramifications of the acrylamide discovery, which has since

been confirmed by the British, Swiss, and Norwegian governments. The

United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) though, has been

standing on the sidelines of what is fast becoming a major global

debate, according to CSPI, which today called on the agency to treat

acrylamide with greater seriousness.

 

" The FDA has been strangely silent about acrylamide, " CSPI executive

director Michael F. Jacobson said. " It should be advising consumers

to avoid or cut back on the most contaminated and least nutritious

foods while more testing is done across the food supply. The FDA also

should be intensively investigating ways of preventing the formation

of this carcinogen. "

 

Fast-food French fries showed the highest levels of acrylamide among

the foods CSPI had tested, with large orders containing 39 to 82

micrograms. One-ounce portions of Pringles potato crisps contained

about 25 micrograms, with corn-based Fritos and Tostitos containing

half that amount or less. Regular and Honey Nut Cheerios contained 6

or 7 micrograms of the carcinogenic substance. Among the findings:

 

Acrylamide in Foods: Micrograms per Serving

Water, 8 oz., EPA limit 0.12

Boiled Potatoes, 4 oz. <3

Old El Paso Taco Shells, 3, 1.1oz. 1

Ore Ida French Fries (uncooked), 3 oz. 5

Ore Ida French Fries (baked), 3 oz. 28

Honey Nut Cheerios, 1 oz. 6

Cheerios, 1 oz. 7

Tostitos Tortilla Chips, 1 oz. 5

Fritos Corn Chips, 1 oz. 11

Pringles Potato Crisps, 1 oz. 25

Wendy's French Fries, Biggie, 5.6 oz. 39

KFC Potato Wedges, Jumbo, 6.2 oz. 52

Burger King French Fries, large, 5.7 oz. 59

McDonald's French Fries, large, 6.2 oz. 82

 

 

The amount of acrylamide in a large order of fast-food French fries

is at least 300 times more than what the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency allows in a glass of water. Acrylamide is sometimes

used in water-treatment facilities.

 

" I estimate that acrylamide causes several thousand cancers per year

in Americans, " said Clark University research professor Dale Hattis.

Hattis, an expert in risk analysis, based his estimate on standard

EPA projections of risks from animal studies and limited sampling of

acrylamide levels in Swedish and American foods.

 

Acrylamide forms as a result of unknown chemical reactions during

high-temperature baking or frying. Raw or even boiled potatoes test

negative for the chemical. CSPI today urged the FDA to inform the

public of the risks from acrylamide in different foods, and to work

with industry and academia to understand how acrylamide is formed and

how to prevent its formation.

 

" There has long been reason for Americans to eat less greasy French

fries and snack chips, " Jacobson said. " Acrylamide is yet another

reason to eat less of those foods. "

 

A California attorney has formally demanded that McDonald's and

Burger King place a cancer warning on their French fries, as required

by the state's Proposition 65. Burger King faces a legal deadline of

late June and McDonald's of early July to respond.

 

*Data adjusted for different portion sizes on 9/4/02]

 

all the best,

 

Bob (fellow journeyman)

 

ps - thanks, Elchanan