Heating starchy foods above 120°C (248°F) leads to the Maillard reaction, creating new compounds from sugars and amino acids.
Acrylamide, a molecule linked to cancer in studies on mice, forms as a result. Source
In 2017, the UK Food Standards Agency advised moderation in consuming oven chips, roast potatoes, and toast due to these findings.
However, subsequent research has not found a clear link between dietary acrylamide and cancer in humans.
Cancer Research UK advises that there is no current need to avoid burnt starchy foods.
This article (via email from Susan Barker) addresses the question of whether burnt toast is harmful to health.
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