I wonder if maybe the smell of oil that's gotten too hot in the fryer and has begun to break down is more of the smell you associate with acrylamide. Because that's a distinct smell too, and it doesn't have the redeeming qualities that Maillard reactions do...
I only use fruit or nut oils on the rare occasion I use them for cooking at all. Deep frying and especially with poor quality 'vegetable' or 'edible' oils is hideous
Also when I toast bread I only toast it to get the crispy texture of toast. There is barely if any browning of the bread at all. My only kryptonite with cafe toast is the 'cinnamon toast'. idgaf how brown they make it. I love it all the same
I'm not saying I live an 'acrylamide free' life. That's impossible. The cortisol from all the stress I'd get trying to avoid anything with a hint of being bad would be worse for my health. I just look at that picture of chips and think 'yep, American staple food' lol and well, Americans aren't exactly bastions of good health and lifestyle. To be fair, neither is Australia with our love for charcoaling food on the barbie and scraping the 'ash' off and using as garnish over the overcooked meats. We must love bowel cancer (our 3rd most common of cancers)