My dad and I just had a conversation in email about this... here are some excerpts from it - though not necessarily in cronological order & somewhat mishmashed together.
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What are the Health Effects?
Short-term: EPA has found acrylamide to potentially
cause the following health effects when people are
exposed to it at levels above the MCL for relatively
short periods of time: damage to the nervous system,
weakness and incoordination in the legs.
Long-term: Acrylamide has the potential to cause the
following effects from a lifetime exposure at levels
above the MCL: damage to the nervous system,
paralysis; cancer.
http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/contaminant.../acrylami.html
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We are slow in the USA, now they are talking about
2007 for addtional findings.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/pestadd.html#acrylamidehttp://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2005/NEW01161.html
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In the UK
http://www.food.gov.uk/safereating/acrylamide_branch/
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It was Swedish research that found this. It seems
completely outside the radar of the US News agencies.
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This is a somewhat more popular version of the
dangers:
http://www.drgreene.com/21_978.html
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and some more links:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/acrydata.html
look at the baby formulas.
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Look at the number of times Acrylamide appears in
potato chips and french fries as compared to the safe
limit in water.
http://www.drgreene.com/21_974.html
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End excerpts.
HTH!!