Cancer in A Can: The Shocking True Story Of How Pringles Are Made

Pringles have been a long loved snack for a very long time. But, did you know their potato content is so low, they’re not even considered potato chips?

Pringles have been known as the stackable potato chip. But, they’re really not potato chips at all. There are many health concerns that comes with consuming these “potato chips.” Pringles contain toxic substances, some of them recognized as carcinogens. They are so bad, that they should have a cancer warning label on them.

The ingredients for Pringles include rice, wheat, corn and potato flakes. These ingredients are mixed into a dough-like substance and then it is heavily processed until they reach that curve we all know so well. The company argues that their chips are technically not potato chips because of their low potato content.

The famous cancer-causing ingredient in Pringles is known as acrylamide. This is known as a byproduct of processing and gets created when carbohydrate-rich foods are exposed to high temperatures during baking, frying, roasting or toasting. This is a known carcinogen and is potentially toxic to the brain. When food is heated to temperatures about 212 degrees F contains acrylamide.

The amount of acrylamide has been deemed as safe for human consumption in drinking water is 0.12 micrograms in an 8 ounce glass of water 0.5 parts per billion. The FDA checked acrylamide content in some of the most common food products, the levels were surprisingly high. Pringles original had 693 ppb, and Sweet Mesquite BBQ flavored had up to 2510 ppb

There is a federal limit for the use of acrylamide that is allowed in drinking water is 0.5 parts per billion, or about 0.12 micrograms in an 8 ounce glass of water. Potato chips are high in this dangerous chemicals, in fact, in 2005 California sued potato chip companies for failing to warn California consumers about the health risks of acrylamide in their products. In 2008 a settlement was reached when Frito-Lay and other potato companies agreed to reduce acrylamide levels in their chips to 275 ppb by 2011, which is low enough to avoid needing a cancer level.

But, don’t result in eating the baked chips, because they can contain 3 times the level of acrylamide than regular chips. This is also true for other foods as well. Acrylamide is not only the dangerous genotoxic compound. A project that took 3 years found there are more than 800 heat-induced compounds, of which 52 are potential carcinogens. In addition to finding acrylamide does the public a treat, the HEATOX scientists discovered you’re far less likely to ingest dangerous levels of the toxin when you eat home-cooked foods compared to industrially or restaurant-prepared foods.

Try avoiding these foods if you want to avoid being poisoned:

– French fries and potato chips
– Sodas
– Doughnuts