The “airfryer” is a kitchen appliance that allows you to fry foods (potatoes, fish, meat, etc.) without using cooking oil, but using the convection of hot air.
But if it allows the use of less fat, it would not only have health benefits. A study spotted by Doctissimo shows that the device causes a greater formation of acrylamide, a compound possibly dangerous to human health, during the cooking of ingredients with a high starch content.
ALSO READ >> Tuberculosis has once again become the deadliest infectious disease in the world, ahead of Covid-19
A study on three cooking methods
This study by Turkish scientists from Gazi University in Ankara looked at pieces of potatoes (previously rinsed with water or soaked in it), which were then cooked in three different ways: fried in oil, cooked in the airfryer and baked in the oven.
Their results show that cooking fries in an air fryer reaches 12.19 μg/kg of acrylamide, compared to 8.94 μg/kg for frying in oil, and 7.43 μg/kg for cooking in the oven.
The researchers also noted that potatoes that have been soaked in water all have a lower level of acrylamide, in all cooking methods.
What is acrylamide?
According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), “acrylamide is a chemical substance that forms naturally in starchy foods during high-temperature cooking processes, including frying, baking, roasting and industrial processing at more than 120°C and low humidity”.
It is this chemical reaction that gives foods this golden color and affects their flavor.
Acrylamide is present in products such as chips, fried potatoes, bread, biscuits or coffee for example. It was first detected in April 2002 but it is likely that it has been present in our food since we started cooking our food.
IN 2015, EFSA published a risk assessment associated with acrylamide in food, where experts concluded that this component potentially increases the risk of cancer for consumers of all ages.
ALSO READ >> James Van Der Beck suffers from colorectal cancer: why is this disease affecting more and more young people?
After being ingested, the substance is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract, distributed to all organs, and then metabolized. The result is glyciamide (a carcinogenic substance), which is responsible for genetic mutations and tumors observed in animals according to the EFSA.
What recommendations?
Turkish scientists warn about the levels of acrylamide produced by air fryers. Using the oven is the least acrylamide-producing way of cooking these starchy foods.
Soaking your food for 15 to 30 minutes (like potatoes) also allows you to significantly lower the level of this substance, since this step reduces the concentration of starch.
