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Companies Agree To Cut Cancer-Causing Chemicals In Potato Chips
Posted on 2008-Aug-5 at 04:25 - Post Comment
The state of California has settled lawsuits against Heinz,Frito-Lay, Kettle Foods and Lance Inc. after the companies agreedto slash levels of the cancer-causing chemical acrylamide in theirpotato chips and French fries. "The companies agreed to reduce this carcinogenic chemical in friedpotatoes -- a victory for public health and safety in California,"said Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. "Other companies shouldfollow this lead and take steps to reduce acrylamide in frenchfries and potato chips."The suit was filed against the French fry and potato chip companiesunder Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic EnforcementAct, which requires companies to post warnings of anycancer-causing chemicals in their products unless they can provethat the levels do not pose a significant health risk. Last year, restaurant chains including KFC, McDonald's, Wendy's andBurger King agreed to post acrylamide warnings at their restaurantsand to pay civil penalties and costs. In January, Procter & Gambleagreed to reduce acrylamide in Pringles potato chips by 50 percentso that no warning would be required. Under these latest settlements, Frito-Lay, Inc., which sells mostof the potato chips sold in California, Kettle Foods, Inc., makerof Kettle Chips, and Lance, Inc., maker of Cape Cod Chips willreduce acrylamide over a period of three years to 275 parts perbillion. For Frito Lay, this is about a 20 percent reduction, while forKettle Chips, which contain far more acrylamide; this is an 87percent reduction in acrylamide. Most Cape Cod chips are alreadynear the compliance level, but one product, Cape Cod RobustRussets, contains over 7,000 parts per billion of acrylamide, andimmediately will either carry a warning label on the package orwill be removed from the market.
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