Is Your Crispy Sourdough Bread Hiding a Hidden Chemical Risk?

Sourdough baking, including sourdough bread recipes, gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, concerns about acrylamide, a chemical found in starchy foods cooked at high temperatures, have raised questions about the safety of crispy bread crusts and other baked goods. Acrylamide naturally forms in foods like bread, potatoes, or coffee when fried, baked, or roasted. The darker and crisper the crust, the more likely it is to contain higher levels. However, bread contributes less to overall acrylamide intake than fried foods such as chips or french fries. A 2024 study found vegetable chips to be the worst offenders, followed by potato pancakes and fried potatoes. Baked products, including sourdough bread, generally showed lower acrylamide levels than fried ones. In Switzerland, federal guidelines set benchmark levels: 50 micrograms per kilogram for wheat-based bread and 100 micrograms for non-wheat varieties. Experts note that cancer risk from acrylamide comes from long-term exposure, not occasional meals. The risk is also considered lower than that of smoking. For those looking to reduce intake, choosing the right potato variety for dishes like rösti can help cut acrylamide formation. Meanwhile, a well-made sourdough loaf, with its moist interior, large air pockets, and crisp crust, remains a favorite. The baking process, though, still produces some acrylamide, particularly in the darker parts of the crust. Swiss authorities have established clear limits for acrylamide in bread, but no country-specific data compares its prevalence to other nations. While fried foods remain the biggest contributors, baked goods like sourdough still contain trace amounts. The key takeaway is that occasional consumption poses minimal risk, with long-term exposure being the primary concern.