The present invention is directed to methods for reducing acrylamides in carbohydrate glycemic foods without the use of chelating compounds, chemicals, carbonyl group blockers, multivalent cation or other additives. The present invention further includes methods for preventing carcinogenic contaminants in cooking oil, by way of managing various factors that contribute to extreme oil degradation, as well as monitoring free fatty acid levels and polar compounds in the oil during high heat frying (e.g., lipid hydroperoxides, polymers, triglycerides, etc.) in order to ensure that the cooking oil is safe.