In an effort to soften the blow of the acrylamide food scare, the U.S. Potato Board and National Potato Council are giving suggestions to the industry when asked for responses.
The industry was asked to explain that the FDA and World Health Organization have not issued any recommendations that people change their diets. In fact they stand by their recommendations that people eat a wide variety of foods.
In addition, the science is not there. Scientific organizations are calling for further study on acrylamide, how it is formed, and if there is risk. These studies have begun but are expected to take a long time to complete.
At this time there is no study that documents that there is or isn’t a risk to human health.
Finally, the report is nothing new. “These substances have been forming on food ever since we began deep frying or possibly ever since we first threw meat on the fire,” the release concluded.
Has the report been a real threat to french fry and potato chip consumption? A consumer pulse survey of 800 consumers found that 71 percent had never heard of acrylamide; 16 percent were unsure or did not recall it, and 13 percent said they had heard of acrylamide.