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Can eating Bread Cause Cancer?
Swedish Scientists Find Cancer Agent in Staple Foods
Tue Apr 23, 2002, 5:32 PM ET
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Scientists in Sweden have found high levels of
a substance believed to cause cancer in staple foods eaten by
millions of people around the world, such as bread, rice and
potatoes, Swedish media reported on Tuesday.
Research carried out by scientists at Stockholm University's
department of environmental chemistry showed starch, a carbohydrate
found in cereals and potatoes, transforms into acrylamide when heated
up, the daily newspaper Expressen reported on its Internet Web site.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites)
classifies acrylamide, a colorless, crystalline solid, as a medium
hazard probable human carcinogen.
Detailed findings of the Stockholm University pilot study would be
made public at a news conference on Wednesday called by Sweden's
National Food Administration.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer,
acrylamide induces gene mutations and has been found in animal tests
to cause benign and malignant stomach tumors.
It is also known to cause damage to the central and peripheral
nervous system. Swedish TV4 television news said the researchers who
made the discovery (news - web sites) spoke of "enormous global
consequences for food production and consumption."
Expressen quoted Eva Buren, a spokeswoman at leading Swedish
supermarket chain ICA, as saying representatives of the company and
other big food stores attended a "crisis meeting" on Tuesday at which
a list of products which might contain the carcinogen were reviewed.
Buren said Sweden's National Food Administration, whose
representatives also attended the meeting, had not decided to remove
any products from shelves, the paper said.
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=search&StoryID=867969
This is what the Swedish National Food Administration has to say
My comment and a discussion of this evidence
Last updated 27 April 2002
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