The 5 Reasons and 6 solutions for Air Fryer Cancer Warning

Most people think that air fryers are healthy because they can make delicious food without using oil, but like most other traditional appliances in our kitchen, the air fryer can also have side effects on our health. You should know that deep fryers can cause harmful Acrylamide to form, which may cause cancer. Even though they are a healthier replacement for deep fryers, air fryer also has some cancer warnings.

This article will explain why air fryers are bad for your health and give you some targeted solutions to get around the problem. Air fryers have some common reasons between them, but we’ll explore each different brand’s particular disadvantages, such as Ninja, Gourmia, Chefman, Brio, and Bella, you can also check the non-toxic air fryer which will minimize health hazards。

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Why is the Air Fryer Bad for You?

Where is Acrylamide Found?

Acrylamide is formed through the reaction of sugars and amino acid asparagine in plant-based foods such as cereal grain, potatoes, and French fries. The acrylamides usually form when cooking at high temperatures. The levels of acrylamides depend on your cooking temperature, method, and time – not to mention the manufacturer of your appliance.

Acrylamide: How Will it Affect Our Health?

Acrylamide is a carcinogen formed when starchy foods such as French fries are cooked at high temperatures. 

According to the recent air fryer models test in Hong Kong, certain air fryers created chemicals that cause cancer. Raised levels of acrylamides in French fries cooked in those machines could be harmful to human beings when consumed in large amounts.

However, there is no clear demonstration of the association between cancer and acrylamide except for possible problems related to uterine, kidney, and ovarian cancers.

Air fryers require a longer cooking time than deep fryers, which raises concerns about the food cooked in them containing high levels of acrylamide. In actual fact, though, you might be astonished to learn that air fryers can lower the acrylamide content when compared to traditional deep fryers.

How can you lower acrylamide content? You can reduce acrylamides in potatoes by cooking at lower temperatures, soaking them before cooking, and avoiding using the fridge to store them. Post-drying, blanching the potatoes before air frying and lowering both the time and temperature can also help reduce the levels.

Calories, Fat, Solutions: How Will it Affect our Health

Typically, some oils are better than others in terms of health; however, too much fat consumption is generally always unhealthy. Fats and oils contain calories, and excess consumption of calories leads to obesity, with strong links to cancer in the US.

Currently, obesity is a cancer risk factor for thirteen cancer types, including the colon, stomach, uterus, ovaries, kidney, and liver. 

I know air fryers have become more common in most modern kitchens. Since air fryers use 75 percent less oil than deep frying, it’s clear that choosing them over other methods is preferable. Besides, you only need a little oil spray for preparation.

Food Reheating: How Will it Affect Our Health, Solutions

Reheated oils result in the breakdown of products like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Fortunately, air fryers do not recycle oils the same way that deep fryers do. Besides, either ingested, inhaled, or consumed reheated oils are linked to colon, lung, prostate, and breast cancer risk.

Oil building up in a drawer and getting reheated does not only cause cancer but can worsen the condition of people with it already.

What’s particularly advantageous though, is that air fryers are easy to clean, making them hassle-free. However, even if the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon quantity is less, it can form in your fryer when the oil is reheated – so occasional deep cleaning is recommended.

How to Clean the Air Fryer

After cooking, allow your air fryer to cool down for at least 30 minutes as you gather the necessary cleaning tools. Next, take out the removable parts like the tray, basket, and pan and clean them with soapy water and a sponge. Lastly, take a  nonabrasive sponge or damp cloth to wipe the air fryer and the heating element and let it dry before reassembling.

Food Poisoning

Food poisoning results when you eat toxic, spoiled, or contaminated foods. When an air fryer is not thoroughly cleaned, bacteria may end up growing in it. However, as the air fryer uses high heat to cook, it ends up killing bacteria that could cause illness.

In the United States of America, food poisoning is common, so it does not matter which cooking method you prefer; always check the relative risk associated with it. Undercooking meals that could contain salmonella, such as frozen or breaded chicken, can always pose a food poisoning risk regardless of the method.

What You Should Not Cook in the Air Fryer

While the air fryer is versatile, there are a few things that you should not cook in it. You should not cook battered foods in the air fryer since they will not cook evenly.

Another thing you shouldn’t put in the fryer is sugary foods, as they will burn easily and melt since they are not designed for air frying.

According to the Hong Kong test, you should probably not cook frozen fries in the air fryer either. Fresh greens are another thing you should never cook in the air fryer as they will cook unevenly due to the high temperature the machine produces.

Cholesterol Oxidation Products

Cholesterol oxidation occurs when the thermal processing of original animal foods and COPs is said to have a negative health impact. The COPs levels appear to be related to the heating time, temperature, activator levels present, storage conditions, and packaging.

For instance, cooking fish at high temperatures can lead to the formation of cholesterol oxidation production. And cholesterol oxidation production is a risk factor for heart disease and chronic diseases.

Due to the concern of cholesterol oxidation products, blending fish with spices before cooking can significantly lower cholesterol oxidation production when air frying.

Are Air Fryers Toxic?

The answer is a resounding no. Air fryers lower the acrylamide chemical that can cause cancer by maintaining the food’s nutrient content. Remember, cancer compounds only occur when you cook food at high temperatures for a long period of time. Compared to other cooking methods, an air fryer is a significantly healthier option.

Air fryers usually take a shorter period to cook food, and not really long enough to produce acrylamide. Moreover, air fryers do not require oil cooking to achieve a golden brown food result as the appliances lower oil content by 80%, reducing the risk further.

Do Air Fryers Cause Radiation

Unlike microwave ovens that use electromotive radiation, air fryers do not emit radiation. Air fryers work by circulating hot air around the food, making it crunchy and crispy with little oil or no oil at all. The cooking process only uses radiated heat, which is not similar to radiation.

But what differentiates radiated heat and radiation? The radiated heat produced by air fryers only circulates around the outside of your food for efficient cooking. On the other hand, radiation mostly concentrates inside the food, heating through steam generation

With the two processes, you easily differentiate between food cooked in a microwave oven and that in an air fryer.

Why Air Fryers Have Prop 65 Warning 

Acrylamide chemicals are linked to cancer risks in human beings. Due to that, acrylamide chemicals are one of the major agents covered by prop 65. Prop 65 does not permit acrylamide use because it has the capability of causing congenital disabilities or human reproduction adverse effects.

It can affect the male’s reproductive system or harm a fetus’s development. To prevent acrylamide levels from overcooked meals, ensure that you aim at a lighter or golden yellow color on the outside of food when air frying.

How to Avoid Eating the Cancer-Causing Agents Due to Air Frying

To avoid eating risk agents, you should follow the necessary precautions like not over frying as well as paying attention to the outer color of your finished product (not too dark). Also, do not cook processed meals in the air fryer since the oil emitted during the process is unhealthy.

Avoid burning your food in the air fryer by setting the temperatures under 180 degrees Celsius so that you do not leave any harmful chemical formation that can cause cancer. Most importantly, set a reasonable cooking time and use the air fryer twice a month.

Are Air Fryers Healthy and Safe

Yes, air fryers are healthy and safe since they lower oil by 80 percent yet give you the crunchy texture you desire. Remember, too much oil is unhealthy; even the healthiest oils like avocado and olive oil have calories that can lead to obesity.

The appliance is the best replacement for deep fryers since it reduces the adverse effects. Furthermore, they are proven to lower acrylamide risks.

How to use the air fryer healthily

• Read the air fryer manual carefully before you start air frying
• Clean your air fryer after using it
• Do not cook processed foods
• Use little oil or fat, and don’t reheat the oil
• Set reasonable times and temperatures
• Use the air at most 4 times a week

Frequently Asked Questions

Ninja air fryer cancer warning

Ninja is a popular air fryer but has a cancer warning. According to the C California law P65, all manufacturers must show the presence of carcinogenic chemicals on the product, with the Ninja air fryer being one of them.

The warning applies when you use the air fryer for cooking plant-based meals that can emit acrylamide. Because this model cooks food at raised temperatures, acrylamide can form as a result.

Bella air fryer cancer warning

Typically, all air fryer brands have a cancer warning. And some parts of the Bella air fryer are designed with plastic, making it potentially toxic.

Since air fryers use hot heat for cooking food, the toxic plastic chemical may get to your food, causing cancer or other related diseases. 

CA Prop 65  states that if a product has any leachable chemical content that can cause cancer, you must include the warning. However, it takes eating 1000 grams to cause cancer, and a product only has under 1/10 grams.

Gourmia air fryer cancer warning

The appliance has a Teflon coating with an EWG warning, which can be harmful to health when exposed to high heat. The model passes the FDA standard but has a cancer warning due to a few potentially cancer-causing chemicals.

About 40% of foods cooked in the air fryer can produce raised chemical levels that cause cancer.

Final Thoughts

In short, air fryers are healthier than any other traditional appliance in our kitchen although they have some negative side effects. The air fryer cancer warning shouldn’t be a major reason to avoid air fryers, but overlooking the risk would not be a wise choice. It is essential to follow our healthy usage guide and double-check the precautions of your air fryer brand when getting one to be on the safe side.

We hope you found the article helpful. Please feel free to comment on the air fryer cancer warning, and let’s connect!