Overcooking starchy foods such as bread and potatoes causes the formation of a cancer causing substance called acrylamide. The longer starchy foods are cooked, the greater their acrylamide content. The UK’s Food Standards Agency recently tested acrylamide levels in popular breakfast cereals. They found that the more crispy the cereal, the higher the level of this toxin. This is because the toasting process caused acrylamide formation. Acrylamide was first discovered by a group of Swedish researchers in 2002. It forms when starchy foods are cooked above 248º Fahrenheit. The high heat causes the amino acid asparagine to combine with water and sugars, which creates the toxin. Studies have shown it may raise the risk of cancer of the thyroid, testes, lungs and adrenal glands. In the recent study, French fries that were cooked for long enough to become charred had the highest acrylamide level of any food. They can contain 50 times more acrylamide than fries that are cooked for only just long enough. Therefore, the researchers suggest if you eat starchy foods like bread, fries or breakfast cereals, they should ideally be cooked for the shortest length of time possible. Researchers haven’t yet determined a safe daily level for acrylamide, but both the FDA and UK’s Food Standards Agency are currently looking into regulations that will set a maximum level. Reference: Poppy G, et al. Chief Scientific Advisor’s Science Report. Food Standards Agency. 2015.