First let us understand what is acrylamide. Acrylamide is a type of chemical is used while making polyacrylamide materials.
Further Polyacrylamide is used in treating drinking water and wastewater against removing particles and other impurities. It is also used making glues, paper, cosmetics etc. Polyacrylamide materials contain very small amounts of acrylamide.
Acrylamide is used in the construction of foundations of dams and tunnels. In April 2002 the Swedish National Food Authority reported presence of this chemical in by-product from while preparing some types of food at high temperatures.
Why does it get formed is a question that scientists and researchers are still seeking an answer to. It has been found that level of this chemical increases with degree and duration of food being cooked.
Acrylamide has not been found in food prepared, including boiled food at temperatures below 120 degrees Celsius. Whether home cooked food has lesser risk of this chemical as compared to processed or package food is yet to be proved because both type of foods have been found to have acrylamide.
The highest levels so far reported were in starchy food like potato. Acrylamide is known to cause cancer in animals and certain specific doses of acrylamide are toxic to the nervous system of animals as well as humans.
British Journal countered this theory released by Swedish Swedish National Food Authority and reported that there may not really be the link between the two. i.e cancer and Acrylamide.
But scientists from the US and Sweden found that the level of diet of acrylamide do not seem to be sufficient to increase the risk of cancers such as large bowel, bladder and kidney – the forms of the disease more likely to be affected.
The other reason could be that this chemical, which did result in an increased cancer risk in animals, were not really harmful for humans probably because human body could be deactivating this chemical.
Scientists released this theory after studying nearly thousand volunteers.
Research is ongoing to investigate the link between acrylamide and cancer in minutest detail. In the meantime, the constant advice, for a balanced diet consisting of fruits and vegetables, remains unchanged.
