The air fryer is practical and allows you to prepare tasty and light food but the high temperatures can release toxic substances
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousThe air fryer is a small but valuable appliance that is becoming more and more popular as it allows you to cook tasty dishes using very little fat. However, many people wonder if the air fryer also has disadvantages, or some possible side effect for health. Let's be clear.
Many families have an air fryer at home that allows them to cook fries and other recipes with virtually no oil. A way to reduce not only the fats present in the dishes but also the calories, in the face of a food equally tasty compared to that prepared with more elaborate cooking and rich in oil, butter, etc.
How is it possible? The air fryer simply uses the heat, using a temperature of around 200 degrees, to cook quickly and lightly.
But are there any disadvantages to this type of cooking? First of all, it should be noted that it is one cooking at high temperatures which consequently could lead to the formation of harmful substances such asacrylamide.
This compound, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), may be associated with the development of certain types of cancer.
In reality, the air fryer, compared to traditional frying in oil, drastically reduces the risk of acrylamide formation, as discovered by uno studio del 2015 dell’Institute of Food Technologists which highlighted how this type of cooking reduced the acrylamide content by about 90% compared to traditional frying.
But this is not always the case, especially if the air fryer is used without caution. According to a test conducted by the Korea Consumer Agency on 10 models of air fryers widely used in Korea, overcooking of food in these appliances leads to the formation of acrylamide.
It must also be considered that this type of cooking can also create other harmful compounds, such as for example polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons e heterocyclic amines, as we had already explained to you in a previous article. These substances may be associated with an increased risk of cancer but further studies are needed to understand if and to what extent the air fryer can really affect their formation.
Read also: Are potatoes and food cooked in an air fryer really healthier?
We can therefore safely use our air fryer, remembering however that it is always better, in everyday life, prefer steam or low temperature cooking, also to keep some nutrients present in food more intact.
Not surprisingly, authoritative sources such as the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), as a precaution, advise to limit the consumption of foods cooked at high temperatures.
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Fonte: Journal of Food Science / Korea Consumer Agency /AIRC
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