Acrylamide in a fried potato dish (rösti) from restaurants in Zurich, Switzerland

Rosti, a fried potato product, is a large contributor to acrylamide exposure locally in Switzerland. A survey of 55 dishes prepared by 51 restaurants in the city of Zurich showed that the average rosti contained 702 µg/kg acrylamide. By analysing the content of reducing sugars in the potatoes used for frying, it is shown that with simple measures, the exposure to acrylamide could easily be reduced by factor 2 or more, while even improving the culinary experience. Though rosti is a typical dish in the German-speaking areas in Switzerland, the result may be of general interest for fried potato products which are popular in large areas of Central Europe.