Consumers need not fear acrylamide levels in fries: McDonald’s

A McDonald's spokesperson said consumers had nothing to fear from indulging in their favourite meal from the fast food store in view of the FSA's warning earlier this week about the high levels of acrylamide present in fries, toast and other carbs.

According to the spokesman, when the warning was released, fast-food chain McDonald's meals already contained lower levels of acrylamide as compared with other food chains.

It had been reported that McDonald's had been taking steps to cut acrylamide in its food.

Over the past decade McDonald's had changed the variety and type of potatoes they used that had lower starch content and had also introduced new storage methods and processing conditions to limit the risk of acrylamide formation.

Acrylamide is formed when sugars and proteins in starchy foods are roasted, fried, baked or toasted.

McDonald's said, "Food safety is a top priority of ours and we have worked with national and European authorities and extensively with our suppliers, taking into consideration a number of factors to mitigate its formation."

The Daily Mail reported that skinny fries had more acrylamide than chunky chips.

McDonalds had been warned by FSA about the dangers of acrylamide and guidelines had been issued on how to reduce acrylamide levels.

Meanhwhile, the Daily Telegraph reported that food safety watchdogs were planning to extend the warning to every food-serving business in the UK.

The agency has called on people to cut their intake of these foods and only eat them lightly browned, not burned to a crisp (See: Cut cancer risk: fry, roast or bake till golden, not brown ) and (UK food safety regulator urges families to 'Go for Gold' to reduce acrylamide consumption).

According to its latest assessment of the risk, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified acrylamides as "probably carcìnogenic to humans" after reviewing data from animal studies and small experiments in humans.

The list also includes root vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, beetroot, turnip, swede and parsnips once they had been fried until dark brown or crispy.