London, Oct 8 : British scientists have developed guidelines that will allow people to keep hogging on deep-fried, sliced potato chips without increasing the chances of getting cancer.

Studies show that when chipped potatoes are cooked in fat at high temperature, acrylamide, a chemical known to cause cancer in animals, is produced.

Now, the boffins have given guidelines that they say will make the food far safer.

The new guidelines state that potatoes should not be stored in the fridge, and that uncooked chips should be soaked for half an hour in water before frying.

Also, consumers should not overcook chips, and should remove them while still yellow rather than brown.

The guidelines also say that oven chips contain raised acrylamide levels and therefore, should be cooked to the minimum time and at the exact temperatures as suggested by the producer.

A spokesman for Food Standards Agency, Scotland said that guidance already exists for the food industry to reduce the chemical through cooking processes.

"This updates people on what they can do at home. We are not saying don't eat chips. We are not changing our advice to consumers to eat a varied and balanced diet,” the Scotsman quoted him, as saying.

"But if you do want to reduce acryl amide levels during cooking at home then this is what you can do as a small but important step,” he said. (ANI)