Wonderful News by mike · Published 2006-08-31 · Updated 2008-08-03 Acrylamide, when it was found in food in 2002, seemed to be the ultimate confirmation that everything tasty is bad for you. Here was a compound that was a probable carcinogen and possible neurotoxin, lurking in practically every fried or baked good … produced by the Maillard Reaction — the chemical process by which carbohydrates transform, under heat, to golden-brown deliciousness … The answer … lies with a bacterial enzyme called asparaginase, which snips up precursor chemicals called asparagine so that they cannot go on to form acrylamide during baking. All one needs to do is toss a pinch of the stuff into dough while it is being kneaded. This step reduces the amount of acrylamide in foods by up to 80% … without changing the taste. Share
