Fries with a side of acrylamide

A chemical commonly found in heavy industry has now also been found in french fries. The chemical is known as acrylamide, and researchers are uncovering ways to reduce exposure to it from french fries. In studies, the chemical was found to increase cancer risk in rats, and although research on the chemical is incomplete in humans, the Agency for Research on Cancer considers it “a probable human carcinogen.”Researchers first uncovered the chemical’s presence in food over a decade ago. High levels of the chemical can be found in fried potato products, such as potato chips and french fries. Researchers planted potato varieties across the U.S. and studied them in labs after harvest. From there the researchers fried up the potatoes to measure the level of acrylamide produced. The researchers determined it is possible to find potato varieties that produce less acrylamide. More