Acrylamide
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The
chemical compound acrylamide (acrylic
amide) has the
chemical formula C3H5NO. Its systematic name is
2-propenamide.It is a white odorless
crystalline solid, soluble in
water,
ethanol,
ether and
chloroform. Most acrylamide is used to synthesize
polyacrylamides which find many uses as water-soluble
thickeners. These include use in
wastewater treatment,
gel electrophoresis (
SDS-PAGE),
papermaking,
ore processing, and the manufacture of
permanent press fabrics. Some acrylamide is used in the manufacture of
dyes and the manufacture of other
monomers.
The
CAS registry number for acrylamide is 79-06-1 and its
UN number is 2074. Its
SMILES structure is
Acrylamide in
fried or
baked goods is produced by the reaction between
asparagine and
reducing sugars (
fructose,
glucose, etc.) or reactive
carbonyls. Acrylamide in
olives and
prune juice comes through another process. It has been suggested that environmental pathways, such as the breakdown of the
herbicide glyphosate (Roundup), are sources too.
Smoking is also a major acrylamide producer. Estimates for the proportion in the diet coming from the consumption of
coffee range from twenty to forty percent, however roasted coffee also contains a range of anti-cancer compounds and
antioxidants. Acrylamide is not created by cooking by normal boiling, and nearly all uncooked foods do not contain any detectable amounts.
Browning or over-cooking of foods should be avoided. Acrylamides can also be created during
microwaving.
There is evidence that exposure to large doses can cause damage to the male
reproductive glands. Direct exposure to pure acrylamide by inhalation, skin absorption, or eye contact irritates the exposed
mucous membranes, e.g. the
nose, and can also cause
sweating,
urinary incontinence,
nausea,
myalgia,
speech disorders,
numbness,
paresthesia, and weakened legs and hands. In addition, the acrylamide monomer is a potent neurotoxin. Acrylamide is incompatible with acids, bases, oxidizing agents, iron and iron salts. It decomposes non thermally to form dimethylamine and thermal decomposition produces carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and oxides of nitrogen.
Some sources claim that people in the modern world consume daily on average around 25
micrograms of acrylamide, and that this accounts for a significant number of cases of
cancer. There is as yet no consensus among the scientific and medical community as to the dangers of acrylamide in food; this topic is still being actively researched and investigated by government bodies in several different countries. Some research has not revealed any connection between acrylamide intake via food and cancer in the
large intestine,
rectum,
bladder, or
kidneys.
In
2002-04-24, Swedish
Livsmedelsverket (National Food Administration) announced that acrylamide can be found in
baked and
fried starchy
foods, such as
potato chips and
breads, and concern was raised as it may be a
carcinogen. And in 2005, in a cooperation between the
Harvard School of Public Health and the Swedish
Karolinska Institutet, researchers were seeking a connection between acrylamide and
breast cancer, but could not find any in that case either, as revealed in a press release published
2005-03-15. Many researchers therefore consider that former acrylamide reports have been exaggerated by media, although with the caveat that any substance in "astronomical doses" can still be dangerous to any
organism, including
humans. On the other hand, the preceding research might not have been able to isolate the effects of acrylamide due to it being ubiquitous in western diets.
On
2005-08-26,
California attorney general Bill Lockyer filed a lawsuit against top makers of
french fries and
potato chips to warn consumers of the potential risk of consuming acrylamide. [
1]
*
*
IARC Monograph "
Acrylamide."
*
Chemical information*
National Pollutant Inventory - Acrylamide*
World Health Organization*
Environmental Protection Agency'Acrylamide and Food'
*
Harvard School of Public Health press release; baked and fried food does not increase risk of certain cancers in humans*
Harvard School of Public Health press release; no breast cancer risks from acrylamide via food*
Acrylamide Infonet*
Girls who eat chips more likely to get breast cancer*
California Wants to Serve a Warning With Fries*
Prospective study of dietary acrylamide and risk of colorectal cancer among women*
Report about acrylamide in food and cancer risks*
www.foodrisk.org/acrylamide*
Court case about a suspected acrylamide poisoning
