Nigel Halford, a professor at one of United Kingdom’s top crop and agricultural research institutes, presented this year’s LeTourneau Lecture, entitled “Acylamide in Everyday Foods is a Plant and Agronomic Science Issue.”

In 2002, Swedish researchers reported finding acrylamide, which is toxic to the nervous system and may cause cancer in high doses, in foods including potatoes or cereals cooked or processed at high temperatures.

Halford of Bedfordshire, England, is a plant molecular biologist who leads a research group at Rothamsted Research, the United Kingdom’s largest crop and agricultural research institute, in Harpenden about 20 miles north of London.

He has studied the genetic modification of plants for nearly 20 years, including assessing the risks from genetically modified crops.

His research group is studying how to improve potato and cereals that may eventually generate less acrylamide in foods made from them.

Specifically, Halford’s interest is in reducing acrylamide levels in foods by reducing the contents of sugars and free amino acids in potatoes and cereals.