Calif. takes aim at 'cancerous' french fries, potato chips

LOS ANGELES - Potato chips and french fries could soon come with a warning label in California if the state's top attorney prevails in a lawsuit filed Friday against nine fast food chains and snack-food makers.\nAttorney General Bill Lockyer asked for a court order requiring McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Frito Lay and other companies to warn consumers their fries and chips may contain acrylamide, a chemical the state says causes cancer.\nAt least one of the companies disputes that, saying there is no evidence the substance is carcinogenic.\nAcrylamide, a byproduct of chemicals and high heat, has been found at low levels in several foods. The lawsuit focuses on french fries and chips because they have more acrylamide than other foods, according to the attorney general's office.\nThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently assessing the chemical in food.\nTeresa Schilling, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, said if the lawsuit succeeds, the office will want to discuss with the companies the size of the warning labels and where they would appear on packaging.\n"We don't want the warning to be alarming or excessively large," she said. "We want it to be simple and effective, and (we'll) be flexible about how it will work with each product"