Behind the delicacy of Fried Foods

A research of Swedish researchers, published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2002, revealed a surprising fact: the frying process of food ingredients that have a high carbohydrate content, can trigger the formation of acrylamide compounds which are carcinogenic (can cause cancer). In addition, some results of research using experimental animals mennunjukkan that acrylamide may encourage the formation of tumors, DNA damage, and disrupt nerve.

Only found in fried food products?


Acrylamide found in fried food products that contain high carbohydrates. Then, how about a similar product that is cooked in a way baked, boiled, or steamed? Apparently, though it also contains a high carbohydrate, but based on research results, products that do not have the frying process has only small amounts of acrylamide. Why?


Apparently the answer has something to do with temperature. High frying temperatures, ie at temperatures above 190oC causing carbohydrates in the food decomposes. Carbohydrates that break down into simple sugars Milliard facilitate the occurrence of reactions, ie reactions involving sugars and amino acids 9penyusun protein). The reaction between sugars (especially sugar-reducing) with one type of amino acid called asparagine, causing the formation of acrylamide. This reaction is common in the manufacture of chips (french fries), fried bananas, fried yam, or cassava fries.


So, what is the maximum levels of acrylamide that can be tolerated by our body? World Health Organization (WHO) says, that the maximum acrylamide in drinking water is 0.5 micrograms per liter. However, various studies have debated the maximum tolerance limit per day. That is, to be safe concentration of acrylamide in food products should be reduced to a minimum.


How to avoid it


Side effects of the heating process which is popularly used in many types of food is certainly enough to make anxious and worried. Because the products are very popular because citrarasanya fried is tasty and the texture of dry / crisp that it generates. Do not panic. The process of formation of acrylamide in fried food products, in principle, we can set and Ceramic with ease.


Compound acrylamide is formed at a very high frying temperature (above 190oC). It means to reduce acrylamide formation, you should fry food at temperatures not too high. Thus, very observant aperlu And controlling the temperature and time to produce fried products that fit the level of maturity and kegaringannya. How to set frying temperature to suppress the formation of acrylamide in a practical scale in the household. However, for large industry, there are several other more common ways dilakuakn, namely controlling the pH (acidity level) to prevent the occurrence of Maillard reaction. The principle is to change the form of asparagine into another form by using the enzymes and the use of food additives to prevent the reaction between asparagine with reducing agents.


Although little trick basically requires the formation of acrylamide can be carcinogenic diminimakan. So for you the consumer, begin to be more concerned on how to cook right. As for the manufacturers start to care about the health of your customers .. ^ ^