Acrylamide in people living in Canada

Learn about human biomonitoring of acrylamide in Canada.

About acrylamide

Acrylamide is an industrial chemical used mainly in the production of polymers (large molecules of repeating chemical units). These polymers are used in applications such as water treatment and food packaging.

Acrylamide also forms in some foods when they are cooked at high temperature. It most commonly forms in plant-based foods that are high in carbohydrates, such as potatoes and grains. Higher levels can be found in baked or processed foods such as french fries, chips and crackers.

People are exposed to acrylamide mainly through food. People can also be exposed to acrylamide through cigarette smoke and vaping. Drinking water is a minor source of exposure.

Acrylamide is absorbed in the body after exposure, and accumulates in red blood cells. It breaks down into other chemicals (called metabolites) through different chemical reactions:

oxidation, which forms glycidamide, an epoxide derivative
glutathione conjugation of acrylamide or glycidamide, which forms mercapturic acid derivatives

Both acrylamide and glycidamide bind to and react with haemoglobin in red blood cells, forming adducts (a type of chemical bond). Acrylamide and its metabolites (including adducts) are excreted from the body in urine.

Acrylamide and glycidamide haeomoglobin adducts can be measured in a blood sample, and are used as biomarkers of exposure. Their presence in blood reflects exposure over the past 120 days, which is the average life span of red blood cells.

Potential health effects of acrylamide

Exposure to high levels of acrylamide can affect the nervous system. Studies in humans show that prolonged or high exposures to acrylamide may result in peripheral nerve damage. This is indicated by:

muscle weakness
numbness in hands and feet

Studies with laboratory animals show that exposure to acrylamide is associated with:

reproductive effects, such as impaired fertility
developmental effects, such as lower birth weight
genotoxic effects (DNA damage)
increased cancer risk

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified acrylamide as probably carcinogenic (causing cancer) to humans.

The presence of a substance in your body doesn't mean it will affect your health.

Managing acrylamide in Canada

We have:

identified acrylamide as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 due to concerns for human health
developed risk management tools to reduce exposure to acrylamide from food sources, including:
- working with industry to implement acrylamide reduction strategies
- issuing advice for reducing acrylamide formation in foods prepared at home
- approving the use of a food enzyme (asparaginase) in certain foods to reduce acrylamide formed during cooking
established a maximum level for acrylamide in certain natural health products used in Canada
proposed to add acrylamide to the list of ingredients that are prohibited for use in cosmetic products

Data sources for acrylamide biomonitoring

This page presents human biomonitoring data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). You can access more results for acrylamide and other chemicals in the Canadian population through the Canadian biomonitoring dashboard.

Overview of biomonitoring initiatives for blood acrylamide in Canada

Initiative	Collection period	Target population
CHMS	2012 to 2019	General Canadian population aged 3 to 79 living in the 10 provinces

We wish to acknowledge all participants, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, who took part in the biomonitoring study.

Results of acrylamide biomonitoring

Smoking cigarettes is an important source of exposure to acrylamide. Acrylamide biomonitoring results for the Canadian population are presented by smoking status. Age and sex trends are shown only for people who don't smoke cigarettes.

Levels in the Canadian population, by smoking status

Average levels of acrylamide haemoglobin adduct and glycidamide haemoglobin adduct were higher in people who smoke cigarettes than in people who don't smoke cigarettes.

From 2012 to 2019, average levels increased in people who don't smoke cigarettes, by:

9% for acrylamide haemoglobin adduct
16% for glycidamide haemoglobin adduct

Acrylamide haemoglobin adduct
Collection period	Smoking status	Age group (years)	Geometric mean level (pmol/g haemoglobin)	95% confidence interval (pmol/g haemoglobin)
2012 to 2013	People who don't smoke	3 to 79	59	54–65
2012 to 2013	People who smoke	12 to 79	160	140–180
2014 to 2015	People who don't smoke	3 to 79	57	52–63
2014 to 2015	People who smoke	12 to 79	130	110–150
2016 to 2017	People who don't smoke	3 to 79	62	58–67
2016 to 2017	People who smoke	12 to 79	170	160–190
2018 to 2019	People who don't smoke	3 to 79	64	60–69
	People who smoke	12 to 79	150	120–190

Glycidamide haemoglobin adduct
Collection period	Smoking status	Age group (years)	Geometric mean level (pmol/g haemoglobin)	95% confidence interval (pmol/g haemoglobin)
2012 to 2013	People who don't smoke	3 to 79	59	55–64
2012 to 2013	People who smoke	12 to 79	110	100–130
2014 to 2015	People who don't smoke	3 to 79	53	48–59
2014 to 2015	People who smoke	12 to 79	100	87–120
2016 to 2017	People who don't smoke	3 to 79	67	62–73
2016 to 2017	People who smoke	12 to 79	130	110–140
2018 to 2019	People who don't smoke	3 to 79	69	66–72
2018 to 2019	People who smoke	12 to 79	140	110–170

Levels in the Canadian population, by age group

Average levels of acrylamide haemoglobin adduct were similar across age groups. Average levels of glycidamide haemoglobin adduct were higher in children than in adolescents and adults.

Acrylamide haemoglobin adduct
Collection period	Age group (years)	Geometric mean level (pmol/g haemoglobin)	95% confidence interval (pmol/g haemoglobin)
2012 to 2013	3 to 5	59	56–64
2012 to 2013	6 to 11	61	57–65
2012 to 2013	12 to 19	57	54–60
2012 to 2013	20 to 39	62	53–73
2012 to 2013	40 to 59	60	48–73
2012 to 2013	60 to 79	55	52–58
2014 to 2015	3 to 5	60	56–65
2014 to 2015	6 to 11	62	59–66
2014 to 2015	12 to 19	60	52–68
2014 to 2015	20 to 39	57	50–64
2014 to 2015	40 to 59	57	49–66
2014 to 2015	60 to 79	55	50–62
2016 to 2017	3 to 5	69	63–75
2016 to 2017	6 to 11	71	67–74
2016 to 2017	12 to 19	64	59–70
2016 to 2017	20 to 39	63	53–74
2016 to 2017	40 to 59	60	55–66
2016 to 2017	60 to 79	61	58–65
2018 to 2019	3 to 5	69	64–74
2018 to 2019	6 to 11	66	60–73
2018 to 2019	12 to 19	63	54–73
2018 to 2019	20 to 39	68	62–75
2018 to 2019	40 to 59	61	52–71
2018 to 2019	60 to 79	63	57–68

Glycidamide haemoglobin adduct
Collection period	Age group (years)	Geometric mean level (pmol/g haemoglobin)	95% confidence interval (pmol/g haemoglobin)
2012 to 2013	3 to 5	80	75–85
2012 to 2013	6 to 11	73	70–77
2012 to 2013	12 to 19	57	54–59
2012 to 2013	20 to 39	59	48–73
2012 to 2013	40 to 59	58	47–71
2012 to 2013	60 to 79	55	49–61
2014 to 2015	3 to 5	76	69–84
2014 to 2015	6 to 11	70	65–74
2014 to 2015	12 to 19	56	49–64
2014 to 2015	20 to 39	51	44–59
2014 to 2015	40 to 59	53	46–60
2014 to 2015	60 to 79	46	40–52
2016 to 2017	3 to 5	93	85–100
2016 to 2017	6 to 11	88	81–95
2016 to 2017	12 to 19	68	63–74
2016 to 2017	20 to 39	68	60–78
2016 to 2017	40 to 59	65	59–72
2016 to 2017	60 to 79	58	53–64
2016 to 2017	3 to 5	97	90–100
2016 to 2017	6 to 11	84	78–91
2016 to 2017	12 to 19	72	63–82
2016 to 2017	20 to 39	70	64–77
2016 to 2017	40 to 59	62	55–71
2016 to 2017	60 to 79	65	61–70

Levels in the Canadian population, by sex

Average levels of acrylamide haemoglobin adduct were higher in males than in females. Average levels of glycidamide haemoglobin adduct were similar between sexes.

Acrylamide haemoglobin adduct
Collection period	Sex	Geometric mean level (pmol/g haemoglobin)	95% confidence interval (pmol/g haemoglobin)
2012 to 2013	Females	57	52–62
2012 to 2013	Males	62	55–69
2014 to 2015	Females	56	51–61
2014 to 2015	Males	59	52–66
2016 to 2017	Females	60	56–64
2016 to 2017	Males	66	60–72
2018 to 2019	Females	63	57–70
2018 to 2019	Males	66	61–71

Glycidamide haemoglobin adduct
Collection period	Sex	Geometric mean level (pmol/g haemoglobin)	95% confidence interval (pmol/g haemoglobin)
2012 to 2013	Females	59	54–65
2012 to 2013	Males	59	53–66
2014 to 2015	Females	52	47–58
2014 to 2015	Males	54	48–61
2016 to 2017	Females	68	63–74
2016 to 2017	Males	66	59–74
2018 to 2019	Females	69	64–74
2018 to 2019	Males	69	64–74

How to cite this page

Health Canada. 2025. Acrylamide in people living in Canada. Ottawa, ON. Available: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/environmental-contaminants/human-biomonitoring-resources/acrylamide-people-Canada.html

For more information, contact: biomonitoring-biosurveillance@hc-sc.gc.ca

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2025-11-25

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