Malaysia may consider printing health warnings on fast food such as french fries and potato chips, due to growing evidence that they contain a chemical that may be carcinogenic, a report said today.

Abdul Rahim Mohamad, a senior official with the Health Ministry's public health department, told the New Straits Times that Malaysia had been studying the dangers of acrylamide, a by-product of the frying process, for several years.

"We did not take proactive measures to warn consumers of its danger as there was no concrete evidence to prove the claims," Abdul Rahim told the daily.

"But with more and more researchers and scientists proving its dangers to humans, we may study the possibility of warnings on potato chip and french fry containers," he said.

Acrylamide is a chemical produced when starchy foods such as potatoes are cooked at high temperatures.

The New Straits Times quoted recent research from the Harvard Medical School that showed that children under five years who ate a weekly portion of chips increased their risk of breast cancer by 27 percent in adulthood.

Daily consumption doubled the chances of getting breast cancer.

The Penang Consumer Association, a well-known consumer advocacy group, welcomed the possibility of health warnings but said it wanted more information about the health effects of the chemical.

"We want to know the cumulative effect of acrylamide on humans, especially those who snack on potato chips and french fries daily," spokesperson Uma Ramaswamy told the New Straits Times .