Acrylamide NCA guide and OEHHA

The NCA Guide to Acrylamide & Coffee

Coffee has a complex (and fascinating) natural  profile.

There are at least 300 natural compounds in a single bean, and about 1,000 created in the roasting process. These chemicals include caffeine (of course), antioxidants, and minerals.  

Overwhelming research shows that regular coffee consumption is linked to a host of potential health benefits, from liver health to longevity. Together, the chemicals in coffee work together to create a delicious beverage that can be part of a healthy lifestyle. 

However, aggressive Proposition 65 labeling legislation in California has called into question the safety of one of these chemicals, acrylamide.

While we encourage consumers to do their research and make good choices, the amount of acrylamide in coffee is negligible does not present a risk - even when consumed in larger or more frequent quantities. In fact, the Word Health Organization recently removed coffee from a list of potential carcinogens in an unprecedented (and positive) move. 

Here's what you need to know, based on the work of leading scientists in nutrition and food safety. 

Acrylamide FAQs

Is there a health concern?

Acrylamide occurs in food naturally during cooking. The FDA and other regulatory agencies do not recommend that people stop eating fried, roasted, or baked foods because of the natural presence of acrylamide, but instead recommend adopting an overall healthy eating plan.

What is acrylamide (AA)?

Acrylamide has been formed naturally during the “browning” process in foods and beverages, and so has been present since people began cooking with fire. 

Why is acrylamide in coffee? 

Acrylamide forms naturally when many foods are cooked – French fries, potato chips, crackers, bread, cereal, cooked asparagus and canned olives, to name a few. As with other foods, acrylamide is formed naturally when coffee is roasted; it is not “put in” coffee by manufacturers.

How much acrylamide is found in foods and beverages?  

The U.S. government has been collecting information on acrylamide in foods, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published an assessment of acrylamide in foods, including the concentrations outlined below. The FDA also notes that brewed coffee represents less than 1% of Americans’ intake of acrylamide from food.  

 Food  Average Acrylamide Concentration (µg/kg or ppb)*
Potato chips   597.5
French fries (restaurant)  404.1
French fries (oven-baked)  397.8
Canned black olives  242.8
Prune juice  214.4
Breakfast cereal  119.4
Postum (coffee substitute)  93
Brewed coffee  7.8

* µg/kg = micrograms per kilogram, which is also referred to as ppb or parts per billion.  For perspective, 1 ppb would be equivalent to about 3 seconds in a century or 3 ounces in 100,000 tons.

Is there a health concern? 

Acrylamide is found in minute quantities in roasted coffee. It has been shown to cause cancer in rodents exposed to very high levels of the compound in their drinking water. However, it is highly unlikely to have an effect on humans at the minute levels encountered naturally in cooked foods and beverages. In fact, studies link coffee consumption with a protective effect against certain cancers in humans. 

Related reading

Why You Can Probably Stop Freaking Out About Acrylamide in Your Coffee, The New Food Economy

 

and......

OEHHA

Acrylamide

PDF icon Fact Sheet - Acrylamide

Why am I being warned about potential exposure to acrylamide?

  • Acrylamide is on the Proposition 65 list because it can cause cancer. Exposure to acrylamide may increase the risk of cancer.
  • Acrylamide is also on the Proposition 65 list because it can cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. It can affect the development of the fetus and can harm the male reproductive system. Levels in food are generally well below the levels currently believed to cause these harmful effects.
  • Proposition 65 requires businesses to determine if they must provide a warning about exposures to listed chemicals.

What is acrylamide?

  • Acrylamide is a chemical that is formed in certain plant-based foods during cooking or processing at high temperatures, such as frying, roasting, grilling, and baking. Boiling and steaming foods do not create acrylamide.
    • Sources of acrylamide in the diet include French fries, potato chips, other fried and baked snack foods, roasted asparagus, canned sweet potatoes and pumpkin, canned black olives, roasted nuts, coffee, roasted grain-based coffee substitutes, prune juice, breakfast cereals, crackers, some cookies, bread crusts, and toast.
    • Researchers discovered the presence of acrylamide in fried, roasted and other cooked foods in 2002. High temperatures during cooking convert sugars and other naturally occurring substances in these foods to acrylamide. 
  • Tobacco smoke contains acrylamide.
  • Acrylamide is used for industrial purposes. It has been used in grouts and cements. It is also used to produce polyacrylamide.

How does exposure to acrylamide occur?

  • During pregnancy, acrylamide can pass from the mother to the baby.

How can I reduce my exposure to acrylamide?

  • Do not smoke. Do not allow children to breathe tobacco smoke.
  • The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends:
    • Adopt a healthy, balanced eating plan that includes fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, high-fiber grains and beans.
    • Fry foods at 170 degrees Celsius (338 degrees Fahrenheit) or lower temperatures. [The higher the frying temperature, the more acrylamide is formed].
      • [If you do not have a “deep fry” thermometer, dip a wooden chopstick or wooden spoon handle into the oil. If the oil slowly starts to bubble and the bubbles are small, then the oil is hot enough for frying. If the oil bubbles rapidly, with large bubbles, then the oil is too hot.]
    • Cook potato strips, such as French fries, to a golden yellow rather than a golden brown color. [Longer cooking times result in greater formation of acrylamide.]
    • Toast bread to the lightest color acceptable.
    • Soak raw potato slices in water for 15-30 minutes before frying or roasting. Drain and blot dry before cooking. [Soaking in water removes some of the precursors to acrylamide formation.]
  • Do not store raw potatoes in the refrigerator. [Cold temperatures increase the sugar content of potatoes. Sugars are precursors to acrylamide formation.]

For more information:

General Acrylamide Fact Sheets and Resources:

Acrylamide in Food:

  • US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
    National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
  • National Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute (NIH-NCI)
  • US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Proposition 65:

  • California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA)
    Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)

Scientific Information on Acrylamide:

Posted: 
September 2016

Related Chemical(s)

Related Product or Place

Source URL (modified on 02/03/2017 - 12:59pm): https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/fact-sheets/acrylamide

Links
[1] https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/file/acrylamidesvg
[2] http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/acrylamide
[3] https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/assets/docs_a_e/acrylamide_fact_sheet_508.pdf
[4] http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/acrylamide-fact-sheet
[5] http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/ChemicalContaminants/ucm2006782.htm
[6] https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/faq
[7] https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/chemicals
[8] http://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/crnr/acrylamideintakereport.pdf
[9] https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/glossary#NTP
[10] https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/ohat/acrylamide/acrylamide_monograph.pdf
[11] https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/chemicals/acrylamide
[12] https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/products/food