Extra-dark toast charred marshmallows super-crispy French fries — burnt foods have an undeniable appeal so much so that some companies have even gotten in on the craze with Cheez-Its Extra Toasty Dark Roasted Peanuts and Extra Dark Splits Pretzels becoming increasingly popular. But could it really be dangerous to eat burnt bread or any of these other burnt snacks?
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
 SciShow | 2018-12-26 22:00:00 |  292,950 Views |
Is Burnt Toast Really Bad For You?
The short answer is no but there’s more to it than that. Burnt foods are high in a chemical compound called acrylamide which forms in certain foods when they’re fried roasted or baked at high temperatures for long periods of time. It’s naturally found in potato-based foods and grain products (think crackers and bread) as well as coffee.
The problem with acrylamide is its not-so-great reputation for being associated with increased cancer risk. It all stems from research dating back to the 1980s which found that rodents exposed to high levels of the chemical were more likely to develop a number of different types of cancer.
However the risk to humans has not been proven and requires further study according to various government and regulatory agencies in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Due to the association shown in the animal studies the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies acrylamide as a "probable human carcinogen" while the U.S. National Toxicology Program determines that the substance "may reasonably be anticipated to be a human carcinogen" according to the American Cancer Society.
