Are air fryers dangerous for your health? A study sounds the alarm

Air fryers are all the rage in our kitchens, but are they really risk-free? A study published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition points out this household appliance which has become essential in recent years. More particularly, the results of this scientific study carried out by a team of researchers from Gazi University, in Ankara (Turkey), indicate a link between cooking in these oil-free fryers and a higher level of acrylamide, a compound chemical suspected of being carcinogenic in food.

What is acrylamide?

“Increases in obesity and associated diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart disease are leading to changes in cooking techniques and the creation of alternative food ingredients“, indicate the researchers in highlight of their study. With one objective in mind: to reduce the consumption of fat in meals, while maintaining their nutritional quality and flavor. Thanks to its hot air cooking and with very little of fat, the air fryer is a perfect candidate for this role.

However, “chemical reactions in cooking processes lead to the formation of certain components, called thermal process contaminants, which negatively affect health“, add the scientists. One chemical compound in particular attracted the attention of the authors of the study: acrylamide (or 2-propenamide). This one “found in products like chips, fried potatoes, bread, cookies and coffee“, lists the Léon Berard Cancer Center (CLB).

“During cooking processes at high temperatures (120-150°C), especially when frying, this chemical compound can be generated in foods rich in starch. This browning reaction, also called the Maillard reaction, gives color to foods and produces acrylamide.also indicates the CLB. Problem: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified acrylamide as probably carcinogenic to humans (group 2A) in 1994.

Three cooking methods tested

During their study published in January 2024, the researchers analyzed the level of acrylamide contained in potatoes according to three cooking techniques: fried in oil, cooked in the oven or in an air fryer. The potatoes were then either simply rinsed or washed before cooking.

Result: the highest level of acrylamide was found in potatoes cooked with an air fryer, with approximately 12.19 micrograms per kilogram of potatoes. This is followed by potatoes cooked by frying (around 8.94 μg/kg) and baking (around 7.43 μg/kg). If the differences between cooking methods are not “statistically significant“, according to the authors of the study, the level of acrylamide, however, decreases quite significantly for potatoes washed before being cooked, rather than those which have simply been rinsed.

Also read: Frying with less fat: is it possible?

What are the health risks of acrylamide?

After being ingested, “acrylamide is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, distributed to all organs and extensively metabolized“, explained the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in a press release published in 2015. “Laboratory animals exposed orally to acrylamide have an increased likelihood of developing genetic mutations and tumors.“Additionally, exposure to acrylamide also”could lead to harmful effects on the nervous system (including paralysis of the hind limbs), on pre- and post-natal development and harm the male reproductive system“.

To reduce the risk of exposure to acrylamide, do not hesitate to wash your potatoes before cooking them, regardless of the preferred cooking method. This reduces the starch content of the potato, and thus limits the formation of acrylamide during cooking.