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Acrylamide in Food: The Discovery and Its Implications

A Historical Perspective
Conference paper
Part of the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series (AEMB, volume 561)

Abstract

The unexpected finding that humans are regularly exposed to relatively high doses of acrylamide (AA) through normal consumption of cooked food was a result of systematic research and relevant developments in methodology over decades, as well as a chain of certain coincidences. The present paper describes the scientific approach, investigations and events leading to the discovery of the formation of AA during cooking of foods. In addition, related issues concerning assessment, communication and management of cancer risks and associated ethical questions raised by the finding of the presence of AA in foods will be discussed.

Key words

Acrylamide glycidamide cooking hemoglobin adducts health risk occupational exposure grouting 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2005

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Dept. of Environmental ChemistryStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden

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