NATSC11

Environmental Chemistry

Potato Chips: The Shocking truth behind the All-time Favorite "Cancer-in-a-Can" Snack

To understand the nature of Pringles and other stackable chips, forget the notion that they come from
actual potatoes in any recognizable way. The Pringles Company (in an effort to avoid taxes levied against
"luxury foods" like chips in the UK) once even argued that the potato content of their chips was so low
that they are technically not even potato chips. So if they're not made of potatoes, what are they
exactly?
The process begins with a slurry of rice, wheat, corn, and potato flakes that are pressed into shape. This
dough-like substance is then rolled out into an ultra-thin sheet cut into chip-cookies by a machine.
I suspect nearly everyone reading this likely enjoys the taste of potato chips. However, they are clearly
one of the most toxic processed foods you can eatwhether they're made from actual potato shavings
or not.
Potato Chips Are Loaded with This Cancer-Causing Chemical
One of the most hazardous ingredients in potato chips is not intentionally added, but rather is a
byproduct of the processing.
Acrylamide, a cancer-causing and potentially neurotoxic chemical, is created when carbohydrate-rich
foods are cooked at high temperatures, whether baked, fried, roasted, or toasted. Some of the worst
offenders include potato chips and French fries, but many foods cooked or processed at temperatures
above 212F (100C) may contain acrylamide. As a general rule, the chemical is formed when food is
heated enough to produce a fairly dry and brown/yellow surface. Hence, it can be found in:

Potatoes: chips, French fries, and other roasted or fried potato foods

Grains: bread crust, toast, crisp bread, roasted breakfast cereals, and various processed snacks

Coffee: roasted coffee beans and ground coffee powder. Surprisingly, coffee substitutes based
on chicory actually contains 2-3 times MORE acrylamide than real coffee

Barrera, Ronzy Augustine M.

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NATSC11
Environmental Chemistry

Potato Chips: The Shocking Truth Behind The All-time Favorite "Cancer-in-a-Can" Snack

How Much Acrylamide Are You Consuming?

The federal limit for acrylamide in drinking water is 0.5 parts per billion, or about 0.12 micrograms in an
eight-ounce glass of water. However, a six-ounce serving of French fries can contain 60 micrograms of
acrylamide, or about FIVE HUNDRED times over the allowable limit.
Similarly, potato chips are notoriously high in this dangerous chemical. So high, in fact, that in 2005 the
state of California actually sued makers of potato chips for failing to warn California consumers about
the health risks of acrylamide in their products. A settlement was reached in 20082 when Frito-Lay and
several other potato chip makers agreed to reduce the acrylamide levels in their chips to 275 parts per
billion (ppb) by 2011, which is low enough to avoid needing a cancer warning label.
The 2005 report "How Potato Chips Stack Up: Levels of Cancer-Causing Acrylamide in Popular Brands of
Potato Chips," issued by the California-based Environmental Law Foundation (ELF), spelled out the
dangers of this popular snack. Their analysis found that all potato chip products tested exceeded the
legal limit of acrylamide by a minimum of 39 times, and as much as 910 times! Some of the worst
offenders at that time included:

Cape Cod Robust Russet: 910 times the legal limit of acrylamide

Kettle Chips (lightly salted): 505 times

Kettle Chips (honey dijon): 495 times

All acrylamide is to be considered hazardous waste for disposal purposes. Even when polymerized,
there is a significant portion (greater than 1% of the total solution) that is in monomer formation. This
amount of monomer means that the entire solution is toxic hazardous waste. Acrylamide must be
stored in appropriate containers for disposal, away from heat sources, out of direct sunlight, and away
from the incompatible chemicals listed above.

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NATSC11
Environmental Chemistry

Potato Chips: The Shocking Truth Behind The All-time Favorite "Cancer-in-a-Can" Snack

Acrylamide Is Not the Only Danger

Acrylamide is not the only dangerous genotoxic compound formed when food is heated to high
temperatures.
A three-year long EU project, known as Heat-Generated Food Toxicants (HEATOX), whose findings were
published at the end of 2007, found there are more than 800 heat-induced compounds, of which 52
are potential carcinogens. In addition to their finding that acrylamide does pose a public health threat,
the HEATOX scientists also discovered that you're far less likely to ingest dangerous levels of the toxin
when you eat home-cooked foods compared to industrially or restaurant-prepared foods.
Additionally, the HEATOX findings also suggest that although there are ways to decrease exposure to
acrylamide, it cannot be eliminated completely.
According to their calculations, successful application of all presently known methods would reduce the
acrylamide intake by 40 percent at the mostwhich makes me wonder whether chip manufacturers
have really succeeded at this point in reducing acrylamide levels to within legal limits... There's no
updated data as of yet, so there's no telling whether they've been able to comply with the 2005
settlement.
For more in-depth information about acrylamide, I recommend reading the online report Heatgenerated Food Toxicants, Identification, Characterization and Risk Minimization. In general however,
just remember that cooking food at high temperatures is ill advised. A few of the most well-known
toxins created in high-temperature cooking include:

Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs): These form when meat is cooked at high temperatures, and
they're also linked to cancer. In terms of HCA, the worst part of the meat is the blackened
section, which is why you should always avoid charring your meat, and never eat blackened
sections.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): When fat drips onto the heat source, causing excess
smoke, and the smoke surrounds your food, it can transfer cancer-causing PAHs to the meat.

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NATSC11
Environmental Chemistry

Potato Chips: The Shocking Truth Behind The All-time Favorite "Cancer-in-a-Can" Snack

Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs): When food is cooked at high temperatures (including
when it is pasteurized or sterilized), it increases the formation of AGEs in your food. When you
eat the food, it transfers the AGEs into your body. AGEs build up in your body over time leading
to oxidative stress, inflammation, and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney
disease.

The Search for Healthful Chips Continues...

Like a modern-day search for the Holy Grail, chip manufacturers keep searching for methods to improve
the image of their health-harming but profitable snacks. For example, by the end of 2011, about half of
Pepsi's Frito-Lay brand snacks will be reformulated with all-natural ingredients. The switch is part of
PepsiCo's master plan to tap into the healthy foods market share. The Wall Street Journal8 recently
reported the company hopes to boost their nutrition business from $10 billion to $30 billion by 2020.
The company will remove dietary hazards like monosodium glutamate (MSG), replacing it with natural
seasonings, such as molasses and paprika. Artificial colors will be replaced with beet juice, purple
cabbage, and carrots. All in all, about different 60 snacks are scheduled to get an all-natural makeover.
This is certainly a good example of how consumer demand can alter the direction of food manufacturers
in a positive way.
The reformulated chips may end up being less bad for you than the original formulations. However,
chips will never be truly healthful. All-natural chips may be the lesser of two evils, but if consumed
regularly, they will still push your health in the wrong direction... There's no getting away from the fact
that modern plagues such as cancer, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes have a dietary component, and
potato chips and French fries will always be a losing bet if you want to avoid becoming another disease
statistic.

Healthy Eating Made Easy: How to Avoid Heat-Induced Toxins in Your Diet
Ideally, you should consume foods that are raw or minimally processed to avoid these types of toxic
byproductsthe more raw food, the better. It may take you awhile to switch over to a less processed
diet, but throwing out the most obvious culprits would be a great start.

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NATSC11
Environmental Chemistry

Potato Chips: The Shocking Truth Behind The All-time Favorite "Cancer-in-a-Can" Snack

These would include:

French fries and potato chips

All sodas (both regular and diet, as artificial sweeteners may be more problematic than fructose)

Doughnuts

Aside from creating potentially toxic byproducts, cooking and processing also depletes the food of
valuable micronutrients, which is another reason for eating as much raw food as possible. This includes
protein sources, such as eggs. Raw whole eggs from organic, pastured chickens are an incredible source
of high-quality nutrients that many are deficient in. Raw milk is another good example of a food that
is beneficial in its raw state but becomes harmful after it is pasteurized.
By opting for foods that will benefit your health, such as raw, preferably organic and/or locally-grown
vegetables, organic grass-fed meats, healthy oils, raw dairy, and raw nuts and seeds, you can change
your health for the better. These are the foods that are truly natural, and quite easy to prepare once you
get the hang of it.
Remember, eating fresh whole foods is the "secret" to getting healthier, losing weight and really
enjoying your food. It's unfortunate that so many are under the mistaken belief that it's "next to
impossible" to create a meal without processed foods. Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough tackle this
issue head-on in their book Real Food Has Curves,9 which is a great starting point to "relearn" the basics
of how to enjoy and prepare real food.
Once you get used to it, you'll find you can whip up a healthful meal from scratch in the same amount of
time it would have taken you to drive down the street to pick up fast food. The main difference will be
greater satisfaction, both physically and mentally, and perhaps even financially, as processed foods
typically end up being more expensive than cooking from scratch.

Barrera, Ronzy Augustine M.

DGE002

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NATSC11
Environmental Chemistry

Potato Chips: The Shocking Truth Behind The All-time Favorite "Cancer-in-a-Can" Snack

REFERENCES:
Arkell, E. I. (2011). The shocking true story of how Pringles are made. Retrieved from
http://io9.com/5851487/how-are-pringles-made.
Survey Data on Acrylamide in Food: Individual Food Products. (2006). In FDA. Retrieved From
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/ChemicalContaminants/ucm053549.htm.
Cancer In A Can: Pringles Are Mostly A Mix Of Toxic Ingredients. (2013). In Before Its News. Retrieved
From http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/07/cancer-in-a-can-pringles-are-mostly-a-mix-oftoxic-ingredients-2703474.html
Acrylamide. (2011). In VirginiaTech. Retrieved From
http://www.ehss.vt.edu/programs/HCM_acrylamide.php
Weinstein, B., & Scarbrough, M. (2010) . Real Food Has Curves: How to Get Off Processed Food, Lose
Weight, and Love What You Eat. New York, NY: Gallery Books.

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