Food Cancer Warning?!

    If you been in McDonalds lately and looked around patiently waiting to place your order, you may see a warning about food being served at McDonalds. Simply stating that there are chemicals that are known to cause cancer that may be present in the food and beverages served. My first reaction was to immediately start screaming to everyone that they're eating cancer and to stop eating. Instead I simply left. The warning is there in plain sight and people still choose to eat the food, and that is on them. But how can it be ok to continue selling food that can potentially cause cancer?
    My curiosity got the best of me, and I had to find out how serious this warning was, and if it just pertained to McDonalds and other fast food restaurants. A chemical mentioned in the warning is acrylamide, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. (By the way, you may find that in other states this warning may not be posted.) Acrylamide is a chemical that forms during high-temperature cooking like frying, roasting, and baking in some foods. The formation of acrylamide in foods is created from the sugars and an amino acid that are naturally in food, not from the packaging or the environment of the food. So what does that mean for me?
    During my search I stumbled onto the FDA website. There you can find information about acrylamide in food, how it is formed, and what else it is found in. It sound scary knowing that there are potentially cancer causing chemicals that can form in food while cooking it. That doesn't mean that you have to give up those foods all together. To lower the levels of acrylamide depends on the way you cook. The darker you brown the certain foods acrylamide is found in while cooking, the higher the level. The lighter the browning of foods like potatoes and breads, the lower levels of acrylamide that are formed during the high-temperature cooking process.
    What I found is, fast food isn't the the only place you will find acrylamide. It can form in the food you cook at home and you do have a little control over the levels of acrylamide formed. But as I see it, I've been eating breads and french fries since childhood. Fries were my favorite food and the cruncher the better. As an adult I love coffee and dread starting my day without it. So, you can find for yourself what you are comfortable with eating and what not. But I'm going to keep drinking my coffee and watch my cooking habits.
For more information visit:
Acrylamide Questions and Answers
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodContaminantsAdulteration/ChemicalContaminants/Acrylamide/ucm053569.htm
Additional Information on Acrylamide, Diet, and Food Storage and Preparation
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodContaminantsAdulteration/ChemicalContaminants/Acrylamide/ucm151000.htm