Beware of fried potatoes...

This article came out in the LA Times today about a potential carcinogen found in fast food french fries

This article caught my eye because it's a topic we've discussed extensively in my Toxicology class. In the article, KFC says that this chemical, acrylamide, is also found in home fried potatoes. While this is true, it is unlikely that the levels found in home cooked foods are anywhere near the levels found in industrial-scale frying operations. Basically, this is how fast-food places make their fries (take this with a grain of salt because I may not have it exactly right):
1. They buy high sugar content potatoes, cut them up, and flash fry them at high temperatures
2. They freeze the fried potatoes and send them to a plant to have flavorings added.
3. They flash fry them again after adding the flavor, and then refreeze them
4. They send the fries to the local restaurants, where they are fried yet again....

Frying these carbs multiple times at high temperatures serves to increase the levels of these carcinogens... Does this mean you should stop eating fries? Well, if you really want fries, I'd recommend going to a place like In and Out where they cut and fry their potatoes within the restaurant itself...

You can check this FDA website for the concentration of acrylamide found in different foods. You'll notice that it's mostly packaged fried foods that have the highest levels.