During deep drying, you’ll likely need about 5 cups of cooking oil. That’s a little over 1 liter. But with an air fryer, you’ll only need 2 tablespoons at maximum. That’s so significant to save, right? Aside from reduced oil in foods, another health benefit of air fryers is the reduction of acrylamide, a toxic and probably a carcinogen in foods. In fact, a study says that air fryers can reduce acrylamide formation by up to 90%. But it is not always the case, particularly if the air fryer is used without caution. According to a 2020 study conducted by the Korea Consumer Agency, overcooking with air fryers creates toxic compound called acrylamide.

What is acrylamide?

Acrylamide is a compound that forms in processes that require high temperature, such as frying, broiling, baking, and roasting. Acrylamide is the product of the Maillard reaction between asparagine (an amino acid found in most foods) and some reducing sugars. It forms when food is heated at 248°F (120°C) or above.

How bad exactly acrylamide is? Well, enough that The Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) have acrylamide in their long list of human health concerns.

In 2015, the European Food Safety Authority confirmed that acrylamide potentially increases the risk of developing cancer

At high concentrations, acrylamide is considered a neurotoxin. One study says that acrylamide could cause cancers to animals at concentrations several times more than those in food. It is still unclear how exactly the effects translate to humans. Hence, it is not yet certain if acrylamide is indeed a carcinogen. However, there are indications of an increased risk of some types of cancer.

According to a study conducted by Korea Consumer Agency in 2020, overcooking with air fryers create more acrylamide.

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2020 Korea Consumer Agency study

The study involved using ten (10) different air fryer brands to check the formation of acrylamide in foods.

Following the manufacturer’s instruction, they cooked french fries in small batches for the longest cooking time at a temperature of 392°F (200°C). The models used emitted up to 1,720 mg/kg of acrylamide. This exceeds the EU and Korean standard by 3.4 times and 1.7 times, respectively.

However, acrylamide emission decreased to safer levels in large batches. It therefore suggests that air frying foods in smaller batches for a long time is unhealthy.

Additional tips to reduce acrylamide emission in foods

Yes, overcooking foods with air fryers increases risks of acrylamide formation. The same thing can be said with other cooking methods like roasting and baking. Boiling and steaming, on the other hand, create less as studies have shown. Reduced temperature and shorter cooking time help. Here are a few more tips to reduce acrylamide formation in foods:

• Refrain from eating burnt food because the darker it is, the more acrylamide has formed. Take a toast bread as an example. A light brown toast bread is better. FDA advises to remove the brown areas.

• FDA also advises to refrain from keeping potatoes in the fridge as more acrylamide is formed when cooked. A dark, cool place like the pantry or a closet is ideal.

• When cooking potatoes, soak the potato in water for 15 to 30 minutes to reduce acrylamide formation.

• Formation of acrylamide happens at over 248°F (120°C).

• When frying, baking, or roasting, go for that golden yellow light color.

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