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The rumors about an air fryer causing cancer are a matter of concern as users become more mindful of what they consume and the appliances they use for cooking. Most importantly, users want to know the truth about air fryers producing acrylamides—chemicals belonging to 2A carcinogens.
So, is there any truth to these rumors, or are they gossip? With cancer being the most feared disease, there is no harm in breaking down this subject and reaching the truth once and for all.
Dive in to know all about these claims that connect cancer with the use of air fryers. You can check my recommendations for the best non-toxic air fryers and my picks for the best air fryers with ceramic basket.
Air fryers don’t cause any cancer. It is the type of food you cook in an air fryer and the process of cooking that can be dangerous for your health.
Does Air Fryer Cause Cancer? Our Findings [2023]
As per my research, there are many factors that, when combined with an air fryer, can give birth to cancer. Here I will discuss a few of them:
Air Frying Cause Acrylamides Formation
Another concern about cooking food in an air fryer is the formation of carcinogens (cancer-causing substances).
In theory, cancer-causing substances, including acrylamides, are produced when starchy foods like potatoes, bread, etc., are cooked at high temperatures (120 C to 150 C) for longer than the recommended time.
Facts About Acrylamide And Cancer
The fact about acrylamides and cancer came to light after acrylamides caused tumors in rats in multiple laboratory settings.
Upon researching I found most studies have failed to develop a concrete connection between acrylamide and cancer.
In fact, WHO has also recognized that there is an absence of enough evidence in the area of human studies which can vouch for this cause-and-effect relationship.
Besides, acrylamides will be formed regardless of the cooking method if temperature and duration exceed the allowed limits.
In traditional deep fryers, food cooks at a higher temperature than in an air fryer. So, there is a greater risk of acrylamide formation, subsequently causing cancer.
Moreover, in an air fryer, you preset the cooking time, preventing it from cooking for a longer-than-required duration.
Factsheet
According to a 2020 study, air frying reduces acrylamide formation compared to deep frying. At the same time, air frying also reduces the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
WHO has also recognized that there is an absence of enough evidence in the area of human studies which can vouch for this cause-and-effect relationship.
How To Reduce Acrylamide Formation In Potatoes
Since fried chips are the most admired and cooked food in an air fryer, in summary, you can reduce acrylamide formation in potatoes by:
- Reducing the cooking time
- Blanching the potatoes prior to frying
- Avoiding heavy crisping and browning
- Avoid storing potatoes in the fridge
- Post-drying (Air frying after deep frying)
So in short, the air fryer itself is not toxic at all. You have to be a little careful about what you cook and how you cook.
Using Reheated Oil In Air Fryer Causes Cancer
The problem of using reheated oil is mainly present with deep frying, where oil is reused multiple times.
Reheating results in the production of by-products, including oxidized, polymerized hydrolyzed derivatives and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Factsheet
Studies find that the consumption of reused oils results in cell modification, potentially causing multiple types of cancers. Another review study established the link between reheated cooking oil and breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancers.
But in the case of air fryers, you don’t have to reheat the oil multiple times, as there is less or no use for oil.
So, there is no chance of cancer due to using reheated oil when food is cooked in an air fryer.
Users can take further precautions by not using the dirty air fryer multiple times.
The air fryer basket can contain oil residues from the previous cooking, which can soil the taste of your next meal, and your air fryer may smell bad while cooking.
Air Fryer And Obesity
Does cooking food in an air fryer cause obesity?
Oils have calories, and consuming any kind of oil (canola, sunflower, olive oil, etc.) in excess is not good for your health.
Its excess consumption leads to extra deposition of fat in the arteries and causes obesity which is linked to cancer occurrence.
Obesity can cause Esophageal, Postmenopausal breast cancer, Kidneys, Pancreas, Multiple myeloma, and seven other types of cancers.
Luckily, when you cook food in air fryers, the use of oil reduces significantly as compared to cooking food in a deep fryer.
Often, food only requires light greasing on its surface with an oil spray or brush. Hence, Air-fried foods are much healthier and pose no risk of obesity or cancer. At the same time, it adds no extra calories to your diet.
The results of a study conducted in 2015 corroborate these facts stating that French fries cooked in an air fryer have 75% less oil than fries made in a deep fryer.
Are all air fryers cancerous?
Air fryers are not cancerous, and the same goes for food cooked in an air fryer. In fact, an Air fryer is worth buying because food cooked in an air fryer is much healthier compared to a deep fryer.
Many scientific studies have proved that cooking food in an air fryer reduces the level of carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and acrylamides. I am also of the same opinion that the use of an air fryer is safe.
Why do air fryers have a cancer warning?
Air fryers have cancer warnings because cancer is associated with eating food cooked at high temperatures and for a longer duration.
So, if you set your air fryer at a higher than required temperature and cook food for an extended time, it might result in cancer-causing substances.
The warning alerts you about using the right time and temperature settings.
Is there a lot of radiation in an air fryer?
Making food in an air fryer does not require any harmful radiation. Neither does an air fryer give off any radiation. It is because the air fryers use hot air for cooking food from all sides using the convection mechanism.
Keep following KitchenHanker to learn more about home appliances and to get the best kitchen advice.
Wrapping Up!
When cooking food, an air fryer seems to have more advantages than a deep fryer. It uses less oil, cooks food for a timed duration, and does not produce higher than the allowed heat level. At the same time, air fryers do not involve reheating oil frequently. Therefore, there are significantly fewer chances of the formation of carcinogens. The misconception among people is that does air fryer cause cancer. In reality, the type of food cooked in an air fryer merits your attention. High consumption of processed foods such as French fries is not the healthiest choice. So, if you keep consuming such foods, you will likely increase your cancer risk.