Public Health Alert: Europe's Measures on French Fries Consumption and What About Us?

The European Union is set to monitor the consumption of various foods. The list prominently features toast, cookies, pastries, and yes, even french fries. The reason for this new supervision is the carcinogenic substance discovered in them.

Starting April 1st, various foods will be monitored regarding the amount of acrylamide, a carcinogenic substance, they contain. The content of this substance will be limited to 700 micrograms per kilogram. This regulation has numerous implications for various food producers and even restaurants.

Where can acrylamide be found? It is usually present in high and dangerous concentrations in the crispy parts of browned foods, such as cookies, bread crust, the ends of french fries, and even in coffee. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), acrylamide has been identified as a potential carcinogen, prompting the European Union to limit its presence.

According to the new regulations, french fry manufacturers must select potato varieties with a reduced likelihood of acrylamide formation. To ensure compliance with the new regulations, the union will conduct random inspections in factories.

Additionally, there will be monitoring of baking and frying recipes in bakeries and confectioneries. During the examination of raw materials, cooking and frying processes will also be supervised, and some sugars will be replaced with others that are less problematic. Even coffee roasting processes will be restricted and monitored to prevent harmful browning.

These new regulations cannot be enforced in private homes, so the European Union has launched a campaign to raise public awareness regarding the risk of unlimited exposure to acrylamide.

Several tips for reducing acrylamide concentration at home: When making toast, it is recommended to set the browning to a high level and remove burnt parts. Additionally, it is advisable to reduce high-temperature cooking for foods rich in starch. If possible, use boiling or steaming instead of frying or browning in baking.

"Acrylamide has already been identified as a substance suspected of being carcinogenic on the Ministry of Health's list of carcinogens," said Dr. Eli Stern, Chair of the Committee on Environmental Carcinogens in the Cancer Society, and Chair of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Carcinogens. "The European guidelines can also be applied here. I intend to bring the issue to discussion within the Cancer Society and publish a position paper on the topic."