FDA's action plan for acrylamide. (Regulatory Issues).

Food Processing, November, 2002 by Joy, David

If you're not a chemist, chances are good you hadn't heard of acrylamide before April, 2002, when the Swedish National Food Administration reported its existence in a variety of fried and oven-baked foods. The Swedish research indicates that acrylamide formation is associated with high-temperature cooking of certain starchy foods. Other countries have since reported similar findings.

Prior to April, acrylamide was known mainly as a chemical intermediate in the production of polyacrylamides, dyes and copolymers for contact lenses. It is also used as a clarifier during water treatment.

Toxicity studies conducted using test animals suggest that acrylamide may cause cancer or damage the central nervous system. California had established 0.2 micrograms per...

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