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matthews_world
Joined: 15 Feb 2003
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 Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 7:04 pm Post subject: French Fries Can Kill? |
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Since we have the burger threads circulating on the forum, AP News reported last week about this study that seems to show frying carbs in hot oil can produce a bi-product which can link to cancer.
Is anybody believing the hype?
I eat fast food once a month which has decreased from weekly a year or two ago. Moderation and exercise are still the key when consuming fatty food but this seems to be more troubling news for fast food lovers.
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The 'French Fry = Cancer' Debate
A top World Health Organization official said on Thursday that findings by Swedish scientists that carbohydrate-rich foods contain a likely cancer-causing substance were worrying, but more research was needed.
Jorgen Schlundt, head of the WHO's food safety program, said that it was still too early to evaluate the real risk to people after research found worryingly high levels of acrylamide in such foods as potato crisps and French fries.
"It is alarming enough to go out and tell people that this has been found, but I am not saying that the world should simply stop eating these foods," he told Reuters.
Schlundt said that the WHO, the United Nations' health arm, planned to gather experts at its Geneva headquarters to examine the question, but it might be a couple of months before such a meeting could be held.
"We are not saying that everybody is going to be dying from this in 30 years, but we are saying that there is a potential problem and that we need to know more," he said.
On Wednesday, scientists at Stockholm University published research carried out with the government food safety agency indicating that acrylamide, already known as a probable cancer-causing agent, was formed in very high concentrations when carbohydrate-rich foods such as rice, potatoes or cereals were fried or baked.
Swedish researchers estimated acrylamide could be responsible for several hundred of the 45,000 cancer cases in Sweden each year, based on experiments in which rats were fed fried food.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classifies acrylamide, a colorless, crystalline solid, as a "medium hazard probable human carcinogen."
Schlundt said that one question that needed to be answered was whether the formation of acrylamide was linked to the temperature at which the food was cooked. "We need a lot more knowledge before we can make any recommendations," he said. |
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Satori
Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Location: Above it all
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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| The "or baked" thing is a bit of a worry, thought that was kosher... |
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Dev
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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I think the health hazard has to do with reusing cooking oil several times. Some harmful chemical is produced when you do that.
There's also the huge issue with trans fats which are in most crispy foods such as cookies, potato chips, french fries and certain kinds of cooking oils. Trans fats increase your chances of heart attack and alzheimers. I heard that McDonalds uses oil that has trans fats and won't change to one that doesn't because the trans fats oil tastes better. |
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Hotpants
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 12:22 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah, those French/Freedom fries are pretty vicious - I heard of one case involving assault and battery. |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:34 am Post subject: |
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| But they are so good if you smother them in cheese and gravy...Mmmmmm. |
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