“How to avoid acrylamide in your toast and other foods”

Toasted bread, like a number of foods (French fries, cookies, black coffee) contains acrylamide, a chemical which forms when starchy products are cooked at high temperatures. Known for its toxicity, this compound is classified as a possible carcinogen.

Stop cooking!

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the following products: french fries, black coffee, toast… produce acrylamide when cooked at more than 120 degrees. It is therefore strongly advised to keep an eye on your saucepan or toaster.

In order not to put your health at risk, the British Food Safety Agency recommends monitoring the color of the bread while it is baking: it is recommended to eat bread when it is golden in color, slices of bread that are overcooked and brown color would represent a health hazard.

The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) insists that “toasting bread for five minutes instead of three minutes can increase the acrylamide content from 31μg/kg to 118μg/kg, depending on the type of bread and toaster temperature. Consumption of well-toasted bread, however, only increased overall average dietary exposure by 2.4%.

Adopt the right reflexes

In 2018, the National Consumer Council (CNC) broadcast an illustrated brochure (steered by the DGCCRF) intended to combat the formation of acrylamide in food.

Among the tips cited:

• Do not overcook the bread
• Do not over-toast the bread
• Eliminate the too dark parts
• Follow the toaster’s instructions

A controlled substance

Rest assured: the level of acrylamide in foodstuffs is regularly monitored.

The European Commission has set up a device since 2007: annual checks are carried out to assess variations in the level of acrylamide. Since 2011, “threshold values” have been applied for foods considered to be high contributors: if these values ​​are exceeded, manufacturers are forced to analyze their production process.

For information, the food most subject to exposure to acrylamide remains potatoes (fried or sautéed) followed, in second position, by coffee and particularly black coffee.