Investigation of acrylamide levels in Colombian foods.

Acrylamide (AA) is a white crystalline solid used as chemical intermediate for the production of polyacrylamides which are employed in various industrial applications. In April 2002, the Swedish National Food Administration (SNFA) reported the presence of high levels of AA in a wide range of heat-treated foods (SNFA, 2002). These findings caused worldwide concern because the compound was classified as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A) by The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC 1994) and The World Health Organization (WHO) took this fact as a matter of concern to human health. As a consequence, national and international official bodies have started to perform a broad range of studies focused on various aspects of acrylamide in foods including AA levels, exposure assessments, acrylamide toxicology, formation, and mitigation. However, despite the fact that acrylamide in food is a public health concern, there are no data concerning the AA levels in Colombian foods. Therefore, this study will allow us to determine acrylamide content in the Colombian foodstuffs and to assess the foods most likely to contribute significant amounts of AA to the typical Colombian diet. This information will be essential for conducting intake assessments as well as considering new approaches for reducing AA in foods and exposure in the Colombian population.