Chips: Eat Just One

Do we really have to quit potato chips and fries cold turkey? When researchers in Europe announced they'd found high levels of the suspected carcinogen acrylamide in starchy foods that are fried or baked, it looked bad for the crispy treats. But at a meeting of the World Health Organization in Geneva last week, scientists were less alarming. While a serving of french fries may have at least 300 times more acrylamide than the EPA allows in a glass of water, that amount is still 700 times lower than the dose that's cancerous to rats. And there's no evidence that it causes cancer in humans. So rather than warning us off chips and fries altogether, the WHO urged moderation. It also called for more studies and suggested a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables. Duh!