Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) linked to Alzheimer's.

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Scientific studies have linked the toxins, called advanced glycation end products (AGEs), with inflammation, insulin resistance, diabetes, vascular and kidney disease, and Alzheimer's.

The implication of the new study could lead to a larger food health scare -- and the resulting reaction from manufacturers -- than that surrounding acrylamide, a chemical also produced by a chemical reaction during processing.

The new study by Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers found that AGE levels are elevated in the blood of healthy people, and even more so in older individuals than in younger people. "Of particular interest was the finding that a major determinant of the blood levels of AGEs is the amount of AGEs in the diet, not dietary calories, sugar, or fat," the researchers stated. AGEs are a group of compounds formed from the non-enzymatic reaction of reducing sugars with the free amino groups of proteins. They are also produced when meat products are sterilised and pasteurised. They are absorbed into the body through the consumption of grilled, fried, or broiled animal products.

Inflammation and oxidative stress are more common in older age, so the goal of the study was to assess whether AGEs played a significant role in age-related inflammation and oxidative stress by measuring AGE levels in both young and older individuals. Blood tests on test subjects showed that AGE levels were 35 per cent higher in individuals aged 65 and older compared with those younger than age 45.

The study also showed that in all of the participants, the higher the consumption of foods rich in AGEs, the higher the blood levels of AGEs, and the higher the levels of markers of inflammation. The study also showed that AGE levels could be very high in young healthy people. High AGE levels found in some healthy adults in the study were on par with AGE levels observed in diabetic patients in their earlier studies, the researchers said. New methods of cooking to reduce AGE intake, particularly steaming, boiling or making stews, can make a difference, he said. Keeping the heat down and maintaining the water content in food reduces AGE levels. In other studies, the team found that cutting AGE intake in half, but maintaining a diet comprised of the same calories and fat, increased the lifespan of animals when compared with animals fed their usual diet.

In relation to acrylamide, many processors have reacted by changing their manufacturing methods to lessen the amount of cancer-causing chemical in their products. The chemical is a carcinogen that is created when starchy foods are baked, roasted, fried or toasted. It first hit the headlines in 2002, when scientists at the Swedish Food Administration first reported unexpectedly high levels of acrylamide in carbohydrate-rich foods.