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An Agency-funded project, published today, has looked at the formation of acrylamide by domestic cooking practices.

Acrylamide, first identified in food by Swedish scientists in 2002, is considered to be a genotoxic carcinogen. That means it's a chemical that may cause cancer. It was found that acrylamide is naturally formed in starchy foods during high temperature cooking processes such as frying and baking. 

The new research results show that no acrylamide is found in raw potatoes or those that have been boiled or microwaved, and that lower levels of acrylamide were found in chips fried to a lighter, golden yellow than those cooked to a darker colour.  I was especially interested to read that acrylamide levels in freshly made chips could be reduced considerably by soaking the potatoes in water for 30 minutes before cooking. 

Agency advice has not changed in light of these new findings. We still recommend that you eat a healthy, balanced diet and continue to ensure that food is cooked right through before eating.

Got any comments? Post them on the blog.

By the way, as Andrew's on leave, a couple of colleagues attended last night's New Statesman New Media Awards. The blog was a finalist in the Information and Openness category. It didn't win, but we were gallant in defeat. Some great projects had been shortlisted, and congratulations to the winning entry, Intelligent Giving.