Cookies are the favorite of many young people and children, and they are usually packed in a few bags and can be taken out at any time to fill their stomachs. But did you know that in addition to high salt, high oil, and high sugar, biscuits can also cause cancer?
According to the original text of the Hong Kong Commission's test report, the safety tests in this report mainly detect three types of substances: chloropropylene glycol, epoxypropanol and acrylamide. Animal experiments on the former can damage the kidneys and affect the male reproductive system, while the latter is genotoxic and carcinogenic.
Acrylamide is no stranger to us, why is there also acrylamide in biscuits? Can we avoid it in our daily lives?
What are the common cookie classifications?
Soda biscuits: soda biscuits add alkaline soda powder, alkaline ingredients can neutralize stomach acid, and after the fermentation process is better digested, often recommended for patients with stomach diseases, but the practical significance of this aspect is not too big.
The grease of soda biscuits is a little less than that of other biscuits, and the taste is generally lighter, so it is still good to eat a little as a meal.
Cookies: Cookies have a dense taste, sweet and fragrant to eat, this is because it has a high sugar and fat content, so it is not recommended to eat often, especially children, eating high-calorie biscuits in eating dinner may cause excessive calorie intake.
Wafer biscuits: Because of the addition of sandwiches, the taste is relatively rich, it is completely a snack, and there is no strong feeling of fullness when eating too much.
Whole wheat biscuits: It sounds like it is very healthy to use whole wheat flour, but many merchants will add a lot of sugar and oil to the ingredients for the taste of biscuits, so if you want to choose a healthier biscuit, remember to look at the ingredient list.
Compressed biscuits: This biscuit is more resistant to hunger because it is not suitable for absorbing water and is suitable for long-term storage and transportation.
Why is there acrylamide in cookies?
Acrylamide is mainly formed during the cooking process of high-carbohydrate, low-protein plant-based food heating (above 120 °C), and 140-180 °C is the optimal temperature for production.
Acrylamide is not detectable before food processing; at lower processing temperatures, such as when boiled, acrylamide levels are quite low.
However, after the final stage of the water reduction and the surface temperature of the baked and fried foods, the amount of acrylamide formed is higher.
Why does acrylamide cause cancer?
There are reports: Acrylamide is neurogenitally toxic to test animals because of its neurotoxicity to humans and was listed as a Class 2a carcinogen by the International Center for Cancer Research in 1994.
First of all, as a potential carcinogen, it has conclusive evidence that it can cause cancer in animals; but whether it will cause cancer in humans is still inconclusive, and countries and international organizations around the world are still studying and paying attention.
In fact, acrylamide is a substance that may damage the nervous system, have an impact on the early development of infants and the reproductive health of men. So for the sake of health, it is better to consume less.
Acrylamide content table of common foods:
Bread and rolls (1270 samples): 350
Cakes and biscuits (369 samples): 96
Baby food (baked type, such as finger cake, etc., 32): 181
Breakfast cereals (58 samples): 33
Boiled grains and noodles (113 samples): 15
Milk and dairy products (62 samples): 5.8
Boxed potato chips (874 samples): 752
French potato chips (1097 samples): 334
Roasted and sautéed vegetables (39 samples): 59
Fresh vegetables (45 samples): 4.2
Fruit crisps (vacuum fried, etc., 37 samples): 131
Fresh fruit (11 samples): < 1
Coffee (205 samples): 288
Coffee extract (20 samples): 1100
Decaffeinated coffee (26 samples): 688
(Source: who technique report series 930 in μg/kg)
As can be seen from this table, acrylamide generally appears in foods baked at high temperatures, so whether it is fried or baked, it is necessary to have the right amount, do not pursue high temperature and frying too much for the sake of good color or better taste.
Although a small amount of acrylamide is consumed, it is not enough to be life-threatening. However, potato chips, fried, baked goods are higher in calories, and we need to pay more attention to the content of oil and salt than acrylamide, and daily life also needs to carry out scientific diet.
bibliography:
[1] "Eating problem cookies, is it really carcinogenic?" Xinhua News Agency client
[2] "The Truth About 5 Common "Cookies"" nutritionist Gu Zhongyi
[3] "Hong Kong Consumer Council Names 5 Types of Biscuits Containing Carcinogens" Response of the Ministry of Health of Malaysia Overseas Network
[4] who technique report series 930
[5] Industry Guidelines for Reducing Acrylamide in Food, Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
[6] Acrylamide in Snacks, Centre for Food Safety, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
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