You may have to think twice before noshing on a plate of crispy roasted potatoes.
On Monday, a new campaign by UK-based Food Standards Agency referenced a 2002 study that says overcooked starchy foods, such as roasted potatoes and burnt toast, contain a compound called acrylamide that could increase your risk of cancer, reports CNN.
The chemical is responsible for turning bread and potatoes golden when cooked, and higher levels of acrylamide are produced as starches turn from golden to brown.
“Our research indicates that the majority of people are not aware that acrylamide exists, or that they might be able to reduce their personal intake,” Steve Wearne, director of policy at the Food Standards Agency, said in a statement.
Researchers have studied the effects of this chemical on mice, but have not done human trials.
“No one will willingly eat acrylamide . . . [but] because it’s carcinogenic in animals, it would be carcinogenic in humans,” Donald Mottram, emeritus professor of food chemistry at the University of Reading in the UK, told CNN.
To lower your risk, the British health campaign says to only cook starches until they’re yellow or golden brown, eat a balanced diet and do not refrigerate potatoes before cooking, which can increase acrylamide levels.