Cancer alert over chips

/ Courtesy of fooducate

Chips and other fried foods contain a dangerous chemical that causes cancer.

According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the chemical, acrylamide (AA), also found in tobacco smoke, is formed when foods are cooked at high temperature. Children are especially at risk.

“AA forms in numerous baked or fried carbohydrate-rich foods, including French fries, potato crisps, breads, biscuits and coffee,” the Daily Mail quoted the EFSA as saying. “AA is also known to be present in cigarette smoke. Since acrylamide is present in a wide range of everyday foods, this health concern applies to all consumers, but children are the most exposed age group on a body-weight basis.”