Acrylamide is a chemical that forms in certain foods, particularly plant-based foods that are rich in carbohydrates and low in protein, during processing or cooking at high temperatures. It is known to cause cancer in animals and was first confirmed to be found in food by the Swedish National Food Authority in 2002.

Commercially, acrylamide is used in the manufacture of some 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. 

How does acrylamide form in foods?

Health Canada scientists were among the first to demonstrate how acrylamide forms in certain heat-processed foods. Most acrylamide in food is formed when a natural amino acid called asparagine reacts with certain naturally occurring sugars such as glucose. This only happens when the temperature during cooking is sufficiently high, a temperature which varies depending on the properties of the product and the method of cooking.

The results of Health Canada's work on how acrylamide is formed in food were announced to the international scientific community and to the food industry, and subsequently published in a scientific, peer-reviewed journal ("Acrylamide in Foods: Occurrence, Sources, and Modeling" A. Becalski, B. P.-Y. Lau, D. Lewis, S.W. Seaman; Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2003; 51(3): 802-808).

According to a recently concluded meeting of the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants (JECFA), acrylamide in food may be a human health concern.

However, both Health Canada and JECFA agree that it is currently not possible to determine the precise level of risk for human health. Because acrylamide is known to cause cancer in animals, further research on the effects of exposure to acrylamide is needed before the risks of acrylamide exposure from food can be fully understood.

Work continues in this area, and as the results of new studies become available, Health Canada will continue to evaluate the level of risk associated with dietary exposure to acrylamide.

Health Canada estimates that the typical Canadian adult is exposed, on average, to about 0.4 micrograms (millionths of a gram) of acrylamide per kilogram body weight each day (0.4 •g/kg b.w./day). This preliminary estimation of exposure is consistent with exposures that have been estimated in other countries.

Based on what is currently known, it is impossible to determine recommended maximum exposure levels or to set daily consumption limits for specific foods containing acrylamide. However, research conducted by Health Canada and internationally indicates that french fries and potato chips typically contain the highest levels of acrylamide.

Health Canada's advice, consistent with Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating, is to have fried or deep-fried foods and snacks such as french fries and potato chips less often while choosing a healthy diet, including a variety of foods from each food group. Occasional consumption of these products is not likely to be a health concern.

Health Canada has also prepared some recommendations on how to minimize acrylamide formation if, and when, you make french fries at home.

Health Canada's studies of food likely to contain acrylamide found wide-ranging concentrations in potato chips, french fries, cookies, breakfast cereals, bread, as well as other foods that are also processed at high temperatures such as coffee, roasted almonds, and grain-based coffee substitutes. Of the foods tested by Health Canada, potato chips and french fries tended to contain the most acrylamide, while much lower levels were found in soft breads and cereals.

Acrylamide was not found in boiled potatoes because the temperature during boiling is not high enough to cause acrylamide to be formed.  The complete results of the analyses conducted by Health Canada can be found in the document "Health Canada's Surveillance of Acrylamide in Food".

Reducing acrylamide in prepared and packaged foods is a primary step in reducing Canadians' exposure to acrylamide. Thus, Health Canada continues to collaborate with the food industry to achieve this goal. For example, Health Canada and the food industry worked together to investigate possible routes of reduction of acrylamide in prepackaged french fries.

Health Canada also provided industry the results of its research on how acrylamide is formed in some foods, so that companies could take precautionary action to minimize acrylamide levels in the products they manufacture. Health Canada will continue to collaborate with the food industry when possible to find ways to lower the levels of acrylamide in processed foods.