Can acrylamide in fried, baked, and roasted food increase your cancer risk?

What's actually in it

Acrylamide forms naturally when starchy foods are cooked at high temperatures. French fries, potato chips, toast, cereal, cookies, and coffee all contain it. The browning reaction (called the Maillard reaction) that makes food crispy and golden also creates this chemical. The darker the food gets, the more acrylamide it contains.

What the research says

A 2026 review in Toxics examined the science on acrylamide in food and its health effects. The review confirmed that acrylamide is a probable human carcinogen and that typical dietary exposure levels are a legitimate public health concern. The chemical damages DNA and can trigger cancer development in laboratory studies.

Children face higher risk because they eat more food per pound of body weight. Popular kids' foods like French fries, chicken nuggets, and toasted cereal are among the biggest sources of dietary acrylamide.

Cook starchy foods to a golden yellow rather than dark brown. Toast bread lightly. Boil or steam potatoes instead of frying when possible. Soak potato slices in water for 30 minutes before frying to reduce acrylamide formation.