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French Fries May Be Worse Than You Thought
The FDA may release guidelines on how to deal with the chemical
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You always knew they were bad for you, but not this bad!
That which is tasty only makes you sicker.
A theory about killer French fries is making the rounds this month due to new research on a naturally occurring food chemical that’s in most of the tasty stuff you like to eat, according to a Chicago Tribune report.
The hubbub centers on a chemical called acrylamide that emerges when potato products and other high-carbohydrate foods are cooked at high temperatures. The chemical reaction that creates acrylamide is the same reaction that causes food to turn golden brown and delicious.
Arcylamide has been shown to cause tumors and neurological problems in lab animals when they are fed the chemical in large doses, but so far no evidence has linked it to problems in humans.
That hasn’t stopped food industry types from aggressively seeking a way to cut down on the stuff.
The FDA, in anticipation of a emerging research on the chemical’s health detriment, is wrestling with the idea to put out guidelines on how to deal with the acrylamide.
Last year a number of potato chip and French fry makers paid fines and agreed to reduce acrylamide in their products within three years as a result of a lawsuit triggered by California's Proposition 65, the Tribune reports.
Posted Friday, Sep 18, 2009 - 9:14 AM CST
