Acrylamide: une substance toxique dans vos frites?

Everyone knows that French fries and potato chips are not examples of healthy foods. But it may be a substance - acrylamide - which is formed during processing or cooking of these foods is now considered dangerous to health. Should we ban food? In the Gazette officielle du Canada1 published on Saturday 21 February, Health Canada recommends that acrylamide is added to the list of toxic substances found in the country. We have known since 2002 that the high carbohydrate and low protein content of certain foods - including french fries and potato chips - are conducive to the formation of acrylamide when treated at high temperatures above 120o Celsius. This phenomenon is called "Maillard reaction". Dangerous, but how? According to Health Canada, french fries and potato chips are the main dietary source of acrylamide. In much lower concentrations, are also found in other products: cereals, crackers, pastries, cookies, bread, cocoa, coffee and canned black olives. In the laboratory, several studies have shown that acrylamide can cause cancer in animals exposed to certain doses.
But at what concentration of acrylamide is it risky to human health? For now, we can not say because the only available studies on the topic "do not prove or demonstrate that a low exposure to acrylamide increases the risk of cancer," says Health Canada. According to the draft assessment released by Environment Canada and Health Canada2, acrylamide, since 1994, classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency on Cancer. Also, as it ignores the cumulative effect of different sources of acrylamide in humans, both departments recommend to play cautiously. "Given the cancérogénocité of acrylamide [...], it appears that [the substance] shall be considered to enter the environment in a quantity and concentration may constitute a danger to life or health in Canada, "says there in the draft evaluation. Should we ban French fries from the menu? According to Professor of Chemistry Ariel Fenster3, however, there is no need to remove the fries from his plate. "In the laboratory, animals were submitted - in proportion - in doses larger than those of acrylamide which humans are exposed," says the scientist linked to McGill University. In contrast, when brown or fried foods at high temperature in the stove, a small amount of this substance is formed. The accumulation of acrylamide that could consume can cause cancer or other problems? This is what Health Canada should explore in greater depth. But whatever the answer, Ariel Fenster prodigal a board full of wisdom: "French fries and potato chips are food which must not be abused, and not because of the acrylamide, but saturated fat. To the extent that we have a varied diet, eating French fries at no problem, "he concludes.