BURNT toast and roast potatoes could be off the menu as a recent study linked the British favourites to cancer.

The Food Standards Agency issued a public warning over the risks of acrylamide, a chemical compound that forms in some starchy foods when cooked above 120C.

This means comfort foods such as crispy roast potatoes, chips and burnt toast may increase the risk of cancer, although no study in humans has proved the link.

But Wanda Hawkins, from Old Town café The Pantry called the new advice ‘scaremongering’ and doesn’t believe the British favourites are to blame.

“When I heard this, my first thought was, what’s next?,” she said.

“It’s a bit of scaremongering and it’s not very likely. I just think it’s silly.

“Some people we serve do like their toast pretty black or have some weird and wonderful requests but for the most part it is standard

“Are you going to get cancer if you eat burnt toast or roast potatoes? No. Everything in moderation.

“I take this advice with a pinch of salt.”

Experts have advised people to cut their risk by sticking to a light golden brown when frying, roasting or grilling foods such as roast potatoes.

The chemical is found in potatoes, chips, biscuits and crisps. Vegetables such as swede, parsnips and beetroot can all carry high levels of the chemical once they have been roasted or fried until darker brown or crisp.

Old Town nutritional therapist Helen Auburn said she backed the new advice.

She said:“I’ve known for years about this, which is why it is important to eat vegetables, wherever possible, in their natural raw state or very lightly cooked.

“Some people like burnt food or barbecued food but starchy foods turn into sugars and these are cancer-promoting

“I am glad this has come to the forefront with this new warning. People should have all the information they need now to be able to make an informed decision.”

Fiona Dickens, Public Health Manager at Swindon Borough Council and qualified dietitian, advocates a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables to cut the cancer risk

She said: “These findings are not new and, like all evidence, should be put in context so any potential action people take as a consequence is kept in proportion. Eating any fried food is not very healthy, so it’s sensible to only consume them in smaller portions as occasional treats. Regarding toast, it’s very much a matter of personal preference and many people don’t like it well done anyway. The health risks of eating burned or charred food have been publicised for some time and the consensus seems to be that this isn’t good for us, so again moderation, if at all, is key. Crisps, chips and biscuits are amongst the biggest sources of this potentially harmful chemical, acrylamide, so limiting your intake of those is important not least because they’re also extremely high calorie and contain fats which are bad for us.

Making positive lifestyle changes, such as stopping smoking, eating healthily and exercising regularly so you aren’t overweight are all without doubt advisable and will help reduce your risk of developing cancer as well as other common health problems, such as heart disease.”