Acrylamide in corn-based foods and how to reduce it
What it found
Corn chips, popcorn and corn flakes can contain acrylamide, a chemical formed during heating.
Levels varied widely between products, and younger people tended to take in more.
What they found
Studies in people
Younger people take in more
Studies in Europe, the United States, Canada, Mexico and elsewhere found that toddlers, children, adolescents and young adults tended to take in more acrylamide from corn-based foods than older people.
Studies in people and animals
Ways to reduce acrylamide
Choosing corn types low in asparagine and sugars, managing crops with sulfur and water, adding certain salts or asparaginase, and changing baking or frying time and temperature all reduced acrylamide in lab tests and food samples.
Other findings
Acrylamide in corn chips
Corn and tortilla chips from shops and restaurants worldwide contained acrylamide at levels from 5 to 6360 micrograms per kilogram.
Acrylamide in popcorn
Popcorn contained acrylamide at levels from below the limit of detection up to 2220 micrograms per kilogram.
Acrylamide in corn flakes
Corn flakes contained acrylamide at levels from not detected up to 1186 micrograms per kilogram.
Acrylamide formation
Acrylamide forms when corn is heated, through a reaction between free asparagine and reducing sugars. The amount of free asparagine in corn grain varied from 140 to 650 milligrams per kilogram depending on the corn type and growing conditions.
What the authors conclude
- They say that corn-based foods are an important source of acrylamide for people of all ages, with higher intake in younger generations.
- They advise that mitigation strategies should be applied to reduce acrylamide in corn-based food products.
- They suggest that controlling asparagine through crop management would be one of the most effective methods, but note it is not easy to apply.
How it was done
Corn-based foods are eaten widely around the world, and acrylamide forms when they are heated. The authors wanted to gather what is known about acrylamide in these foods and how it might be reduced.
The authors reviewed 48 scientific papers reporting acrylamide levels in corn-based foods sold around the world, including tortilla chips, popcorn, corn flakes, biscuits and snacks. They also looked at studies estimating how much acrylamide people take in from these foods.
What it can’t tell you
- This is a review of other studies, not a new experiment, so it cannot show cause and effect.
- The acrylamide levels reported come from different products, countries and testing methods, so they cannot be used to predict the level in any one packet.
- The studies on human intake can show a link between eating corn-based foods and acrylamide exposure, but they cannot show what health effects might follow.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no competing financial interest.
- Authors work at
- Maize Research Institute, Serbia; Hacettepe University, Turkey
The paper
- Title
- Acrylamide in Corn-Based Thermally Processed Foods: A Review
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Žilić S, Nikolić V, Mogol BA, et al (2022). Acrylamide in Corn-Based Thermally Processed Foods: A Review. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.1c07249Free full textPubMed 35357820DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error