March 6, 2005
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Mercy Maud, but that’s annoying. As if there isn’t enough to worry about, now MSNBC.com runs an article title of “WHO: People should eat less acrylamide“.
If acrylamide is found in brussel sprouts and halibut, I’m in good shape, but I’m betting it isn’t. I haven’t clicked on the link for doubtless whatever that stuff is, it’s a staple in my house, and one I’ll be loathe to relinquish. Why can’t they ever issue warnings against escargot? Or rutabagas?
You know, something I don’t wanna eat in any case.
But nooooo, sure as check, the WHO will be reaching into my pantry or refrigerator to remove a tasty morsel or two.
So to heck with it. “Ignorance is bliss” indeed.
Comments (8)
you know, the FDA issued a warning some time ago about not eating squirrel brains because they can cause Mad Cow Disease. This is the one and only FDA warning I have whole-heartedly obeyed!
I’m right there with you, Jennifer.
A person just can’t be too careful.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 summary=”" border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD class=center width=18>
<TD vAlign=top width=450>
ACRYLAMIDE AND FOOD
Questions and Answers
What is acrylamide?
Acrylamide is a chemical that is produced for use in the manufacture of plastics as well as various other materials. While acrylamide is used in making some food packaging, this use has not been found to add acrylamide to foods at levels that could pose a health concern.
Acrylamide is also used in the production of polyacrylamide, several types of copolymers, and synthetic rubber. Polyacrylamide is used as a coagulant in drinking water and also in grouts used in the construction of drinking water reservoirs and wells.
Acrylamide is not a substance that is added to foods.
In April 2002, research results announced by the Swedish National Food Authority – which have been confirmed by Health Canada – showed that acrylamide can be produced in certain starch-based foods, such as potato chips and french fries when they have been cooked at high temperatures. Very recently, Health Canada scientists discovered the most significant way by which acrylamide forms in foods.
Does acrylamide pose a cancer risk to humans?
Based on animal studies, acrylamide has been categorized as a probable cause of cancer in humans. However, these animal tests and their relevance to human health has not been established. It is not known whether or not acrylamide levels found in food pose an actual human health risk.
Studies on acrylamide associated with human cancer in workers who are exposed to acrylamide in their occupations is limited, therefore, more studies in animal models and humans is necessary to better understand the potential for acrylamide to cause cancer in humans.
What has Health Canada been doing following the announcement by the Swedish National Food Authority?
Health Canada conducted preliminary analytical studies to confirm the Swedish findings. This included identifying foods in the Canadian food supply that may contain acrylamide. We first looked at those foods that contained readily detectable levels of acrylamide according to the Swedish results. The list of foods includes potato chips, french fries, cookies, processed cereals, and bread. We found our results to be consistent with those of Sweden, as well as Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States. Health Canada also looked at other foods that are processed at high temperatures like coffee and roasted almonds, and found that acrylamide, in wide-ranging concentrations, is present in a number of foods cooked at higher temperatures, with the exception of foods that are boiled. However, Health Canada also found that the levels of acrylamide can vary considerably from one sample to the next, even in the same product from the same manufacturer.
Summary results of the Health Canada preliminary analyses are provided in the following table.
<TABLE summary=”" border=1>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TH colSpan=5>Results of Health Canada preliminary analyses of acrylamide in some foods. 1
<TR>
<TH scope=col>Food
<TH scope=col>Number of samples
<TH scope=col>Average (ppb2)
<TH scope=col>Minimum (ppb)
<TH scope=col>Maximum (ppb)
<TR>
<TD>
<TD>
<TD>
<TD>
<TD>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Beer
<TD vAlign=top>5
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Bread
<TD vAlign=top>10
<TD vAlign=top>27
<TD vAlign=top>14
<TD vAlign=top>47
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Bread (toasted)
<TD vAlign=top>2
<TD vAlign=top>159
<TD vAlign=top>28
<TD vAlign=top>290
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Cereals
<TD vAlign=top>3
<TD vAlign=top>130
<TD vAlign=top>100
<TD vAlign=top>170
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Cocoa products
<TD vAlign=top>8
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>190
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Coffee
<TD vAlign=top>11
<TD vAlign=top>27
<TD vAlign=top>4
<TD vAlign=top>150
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Coffee substitute, grain based
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>430
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>French fries
<TD vAlign=top>8
<TD vAlign=top>679
<TD vAlign=top>59
<TD vAlign=top>1900
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Hamburger, fast-food
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Papadum (East Indian snack)
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>170
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Peanut butter
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>53
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Potato chips
<TD vAlign=top>10
<TD vAlign=top>1271
<TD vAlign=top>430
<TD vAlign=top>3700
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Potatoes, boiled & mashed
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Roasted nuts, seeds, & legumes
<TD vAlign=top>5
<TD vAlign=top>87
<TD vAlign=top>25
<TD vAlign=top>260
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Sweet potato chips
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>260
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TABLE summary=”" border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top width=50>1
<TD vAlign=top>These data are exploratory and do not represent the distribution of acrylamide in foods. These and other reported results show that levels of acrylamide vary considerably even between identical products.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=600 summary=”" border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD class=center width=18>
<TD vAlign=top width=450>
ACRYLAMIDE AND FOOD
Questions and Answers
What is acrylamide?
Acrylamide is a chemical that is produced for use in the manufacture of plastics as well as various other materials. While acrylamide is used in making some food packaging, this use has not been found to add acrylamide to foods at levels that could pose a health concern.
Acrylamide is also used in the production of polyacrylamide, several types of copolymers, and synthetic rubber. Polyacrylamide is used as a coagulant in drinking water and also in grouts used in the construction of drinking water reservoirs and wells.
Acrylamide is not a substance that is added to foods.
In April 2002, research results announced by the Swedish National Food Authority – which have been confirmed by Health Canada – showed that acrylamide can be produced in certain starch-based foods, such as potato chips and french fries when they have been cooked at high temperatures. Very recently, Health Canada scientists discovered the most significant way by which acrylamide forms in foods.
Does acrylamide pose a cancer risk to humans?
Based on animal studies, acrylamide has been categorized as a probable cause of cancer in humans. However, these animal tests and their relevance to human health has not been established. It is not known whether or not acrylamide levels found in food pose an actual human health risk.
Studies on acrylamide associated with human cancer in workers who are exposed to acrylamide in their occupations is limited, therefore, more studies in animal models and humans is necessary to better understand the potential for acrylamide to cause cancer in humans.
What has Health Canada been doing following the announcement by the Swedish National Food Authority?
Health Canada conducted preliminary analytical studies to confirm the Swedish findings. This included identifying foods in the Canadian food supply that may contain acrylamide. We first looked at those foods that contained readily detectable levels of acrylamide according to the Swedish results. The list of foods includes potato chips, french fries, cookies, processed cereals, and bread. We found our results to be consistent with those of Sweden, as well as Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States. Health Canada also looked at other foods that are processed at high temperatures like coffee and roasted almonds, and found that acrylamide, in wide-ranging concentrations, is present in a number of foods cooked at higher temperatures, with the exception of foods that are boiled. However, Health Canada also found that the levels of acrylamide can vary considerably from one sample to the next, even in the same product from the same manufacturer.
Summary results of the Health Canada preliminary analyses are provided in the following table.
<TABLE summary=”" border=1>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TH colSpan=5>Results of Health Canada preliminary analyses of acrylamide in some foods. 1
<TR>
<TH scope=col>Food
<TH scope=col>Number of samples
<TH scope=col>Average (ppb2)
<TH scope=col>Minimum (ppb)
<TH scope=col>Maximum (ppb)
<TR>
<TD>
<TD>
<TD>
<TD>
<TD>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Beer
<TD vAlign=top>5
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Bread
<TD vAlign=top>10
<TD vAlign=top>27
<TD vAlign=top>14
<TD vAlign=top>47
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Bread (toasted)
<TD vAlign=top>2
<TD vAlign=top>159
<TD vAlign=top>28
<TD vAlign=top>290
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Cereals
<TD vAlign=top>3
<TD vAlign=top>130
<TD vAlign=top>100
<TD vAlign=top>170
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Cocoa products
<TD vAlign=top>8
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>190
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Coffee
<TD vAlign=top>11
<TD vAlign=top>27
<TD vAlign=top>4
<TD vAlign=top>150
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Coffee substitute, grain based
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>430
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>French fries
<TD vAlign=top>8
<TD vAlign=top>679
<TD vAlign=top>59
<TD vAlign=top>1900
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Hamburger, fast-food
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Papadum (East Indian snack)
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>170
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Peanut butter
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>53
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Potato chips
<TD vAlign=top>10
<TD vAlign=top>1271
<TD vAlign=top>430
<TD vAlign=top>3700
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Potatoes, boiled & mashed
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Roasted nuts, seeds, & legumes
<TD vAlign=top>5
<TD vAlign=top>87
<TD vAlign=top>25
<TD vAlign=top>260
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Sweet potato chips
<TD vAlign=top>1
<TD vAlign=top>260
<TD vAlign=top>
<TD vAlign=top>
<TABLE summary=”" border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top width=50>1
<TD vAlign=top>These data are exploratory and do not represent the distribution of acrylamide in foods. These and other reported results show that levels of acrylamide vary considerably even between identical products.
Sorry about the gibberish; feel free to remove the post. The website describing all this plus the tables are here: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment/cs-ipc/chha-edpcs/e_acrylamide_and_food.html
We have a new name for you, Eleanor, dear:
“Eleanor, enemy of bliss.”
Well, I’m readimg the most riveting book on the 1918 pandemic right now. Anyone wanna hear about it? The symptoms go like this: first you start to cough a bit, then if you don’t drop dead right after that, you start to turn dark blue. And then….
You’re making up the dark blue part.
Right?
Actually….no. This book really is fascinating, and I love reading books involving epidemiology, but it is also scary.