Today the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released data on the acrylamide content of a variety of new foods (see http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2004/NEW01040.html). The new data expand the database to an additional 750 foods. Acrylamide, for those who have forgotten, is the substance formed in high-carbohydrate foods that are baked or fried at high temperatures. Although it is not a new or unknown compound, acrylamide was not known to be found in foods until Swedish scientists found it a couple of years ago.
Since acrylamide at very high doses causes cancer in lab animals, this discovery ignited a flurry of media attention, and of course a plethora of calls by activist groups for government action to protect the eating public from this dire health threat. Of course, no one has shown that the levels found in foods are any risk at all to humans, but that didn't stop supposed "consumer advocates" from telling people to avoid foods laden with this new threat.
Unfortunately, some of the highest levels of acrylamide were found in foods thought to be intrinsically healthful ripe olives. It's surprising that olives, mainstays of the supposedly super-healthy Mediterranean diet pattern, could also be the source of this supposedly unhealthful compound. But there we are it seems that Mother Nature gets the last laugh again!
For some realistic information about acrylamide in foods as a human health concern, see ACSH's white paper on acrylamide.
