Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
News

FSA’s “Go for Gold” Campaign to Minimize Consumers’ Exposure to Acrylamide, Cancer

January 23, 2017

Today, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) launched a “Go for Gold” campaign aimed at helping consumers to understand how they can minimize exposure to acrylamide when cooking at home. Exposure to acrylamide--a naturally occurring byproduct of the cooking process often found in coffee, chocolate, potatoes, bread, cereal and even some fruits and vegetables--is said to be a possible carcinogen.

The acrylamide chemical is produced when foods are cooked for long periods of time at high temperatures--typically via frying, toasting, baking, grilling and roasting. To bring awareness to this issue, has partnered with Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis--a track and field athlete--to educate consumers how to make small changes in the way they cook, thus minimizing their exposure to acrylamide at home.

  • Go for Gold – as a general rule of thumb, aim for a golden yellow color or lighter when frying, baking, toasting or roasting starchy foods like potatoes, root vegetables and bread.
  • Check the pack – follow the cooking instructions carefully when frying or oven-heating packaged food products such as chips, roast potatoes and parsnips. The on-pack instructions are designed to cook the product correctly. This ensures that you aren’t cooking starchy foods for too long or at temperatures which are too high.
  • Eat a varied and balanced diet – while we can’t completely avoid risks like acrylamide in food, eating a healthy, balanced diet that includes basing meals on starchy carbohydrates and getting your 5 A Day will help reduce your risk of cancer.
  • Don't keep raw potatoes in the fridge - if you intend to roast or fry them. Storing raw potatoes in the fridge can increase overall acrylamide levels. Raw potatoes should ideally be stored in a dark, cool place at temperatures above 6°C.

FSA’s “Go for Gold” campaign is based on findings from the agency’s Total Diet Study that was also published today. The results confirm that people in the UK currently consume higher levels of acrylamide than is desirable.

“Our research indicates that the majority of people are not aware that acrylamide exists, or that they might be able to reduce their personal intake. We want our 'Go for Gold' campaign to highlight the issue so that consumers know how to make the small changes that may reduce their acrylamide consumption whilst still eating plenty of starchy carbohydrates and vegetables as recommended in government healthy eating advice.” says Steve Wearne, director of policy at FSA.

“Although there is more to know about the true extent of the acrylamide risk, there is an important job for government, industry and others to do to help reduce acrylamide intake. This campaign is part of the FSA's wider work to reduce the level of acrylamide that people consume.”

“The FSA is continuing to work closely with the food industry to reduce acrylamide in the food you buy, including the development of practical tools like an industry toolkit and codes of practice which will be embedded throughout the food chain.”

Learn more about FSA's Total Diet Study.

More on acrylamide in food:
How Safe are Snack Foods?
?
EFSA: Frying, Baking and Roasting Increases Risk of Acrylamide Exposure and Cancer

 


Author(s): Staff

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Methods
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Training
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    Best Practices
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Deli Salads
    Sponsored byCorbion

    How Food Safety is Becoming the Ultimate Differentiator in Refrigerated and Prepared Foods

Popular Stories

Top view of several sandwiches

FDA Provides Update on Listeria Outbreak Related to Products of Fresh & Ready Foods LLC

Image of container spilling red powder

FDA Approves Three Food Colors from Natural Sources

FSM podcast

Ep. 193. Christian Ararat: A Global Perspective on Auditing, Certifications, AI, and Beyond

Events

June 12, 2025

Additive Bans Ahead: Your Guide to Avoiding Risk and Maintaining Agility

Live: June 12, 2025 at 12:00 pm EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn how ingredient bans will impact product development, labeling, and sourcing.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • EFSA: Frying, Baking and Roasting Increases Risk of Acrylamide Exposure and Cancer

    See More
  • a waiter talking to a customer holding a menu

    UK FSA Publishes Draft Best Practices for Giving Allergen Information to Consumers Eating Out

    See More
  • man outdoors drinking from plastic water bottle

    Study Suggests Strong Link Between PFAS Consumption and Thyroid Cancer; No End to PFAS Exposure in Sight

    See More
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing