Chemical is found in starchy staples;
Health Canada urges food industry to act

Canadian scientists have discovered a chemical reaction that produces high levels of a potentially cancer-causing substance in some popular starchy foods, including potato chips and French fries.

And while Health Canada has informed the food industry about the finding and urged it to immediately find ways of preventing the chemical's formation, the government agency has not yet informed the public.

Health Canada has, however, posted a copy of its letter to the food industry on its Web site (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca), along with information about acrylamide, the chemical that forms when certain starchy foods are cooked.

The government is not urging Canadians to give up such fried and baked foods as potato chips, French fries, cookies, processed cereals and breads in which the chemical has been found.

"Health Canada is not advising consumers to make any dietary changes at this time," the agency states on its Web site. "Rather, Health Canada continues to recommend that consumers follow a healthy, balanced diet, drawing from a variety of foods and consuming them in moderation."

Canadian scientists discovered that, at high temperatures, acrylamide is created when asparagine a naturally occurring amino acid found in starchy foods such as potatoes combines with the natural sugar glucose.

Further details about this chemical process will be released later this week.

Acrylamide was found only in starchy fried or baked products that had been cooked at temperatures higher than 1200C. It was not found in boiled foods, which are cooked at lower temperatures.

The Canadian government has been studying the process since Swedish scientists at Stockholm University announced in April that they had found high levels of acrylamide in some starchy foods.

According to the Swedish government's National Food Administration, acrylamide could be present in foods that have not yet been tested. In the U.S., for example, the chemical was found in roasted asparagus and banana chips.

On its Web site, Health Canada describes acrylamide as a chemical that is produced for use in the manufacture of some plastics. It is also used by some municipalities to remove suspended particles from drinking water.

However, according to Health Canada, the chemical has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, though more studies are necessary to understand its potential effect on humans.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has made lowering the levels of acrylamide and studying the risks associated with its presence in foods a top priority. The agency plans to discuss the issue today with food manufacturers and consumer groups.

Researchers in the United States, Norway, Britain and Switzerland have also found high levels of the chemical in their foods.