With 2.6 million units sold in France in 2024, the airfryer has established itself as the essential appliance in French households. Compact, relatively affordable, and with the promise of healthier cooking, the (no longer so) mini hot air oven doesn't just fry without oil. Over the models and generations, the cooking process has expanded, with larger baskets, the ability to cook two dishes independently, and more recently, combining oil-free frying with steam cooking.
In January 2024, a study published in the scientific journal Frontiers has tarnished the reputation of the oil-free fryer. The controversy is growing around the formation of acrylamide, a molecule classified as a possible human carcinogen by the WHO and IARC, during the cooking process. The study data is worrying, with a significantly higher acrylamide content in potatoes cooked with an air fryer (12.19 ± 7.03 μg/kg, compared to 8.94 ± 9.21 μg/kg for a conventional fryer, and 7.43 ± 3.75 μg/kg for traditional oven cooking).
Acrylamide and the Maillard Reaction
Acrylamide is a compound that forms naturally in foods rich in carbohydrates and proteins when they are cooked above 120 °C, via a chemical reaction called the “Maillard reaction”. The molecule is particularly present in French fries, toast, chips or cereals, than in heavily roasted coffee. It's particularly common in overcooked ingredients.
Faced with the survey results, concerns about the potential dangers of airfryer cooking have grown. However, cooking without oil is no more problematic than cooking in the oven. It all depends on the cooking temperature and our practices. Questioned by our colleagues at Numériques, CNRS researcher Christophe Lavelle confirmed that only the molecule produced by high-temperature cooking is dangerous, and that it is formed regardless of the appliance used.
What are the health risks?
Health agencies consider acrylamide a probable risk to human health, due to its carcinogenic and neurotoxic potential. However, there is currently no clearly established tolerable daily intake due to a lack of sufficient epidemiological evidence. Experts therefore recommend limiting exposure to this molecule through certain simple precautions.
- By favoring gentle cooking, to avoid burning food
- By soaking potatoes before cooking to reduce the formation of acrylamide
- By avoiding storing potatoes in the refrigerator, which increases their sugar content.
- By cleaning the appliance regularly to avoid the accumulation of residues that can generate harmful compounds.
It should also be remembered that acrylamide is not the only harmful compound generated by high-temperature cooking. Other substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or heterocyclic amines, can also form.
False controversy, but true vigilance
While the study is intended to be alarmist, it mainly resonates as a false problem. The airfryer is simply a fan-assisted oven, which reduces cooking time and the amount of fat used. Provided it is used correctly and the cooking and maintenance instructions are followed, it is no more dangerous than any other cooking method.
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