Acrylamide and its analogues have been widely used since the last century for various chemical and environmental applications and can be formed by heating of biological material derived from plant tissues. This compound, identified previously as a potential industrial hazard, has now been found in many cooked foods. Reports of the presence of acrylamide in a range of fried and oven-cooked foods have caused worldwide concern because of its probable carcinogenicity in humans. The exact mechanism for the acrylamide formation in food is not well understood. The existing models to explain its formation have several limitations. This study was carried out to investigate the acrylamide formation in commonly consumed food stuff model and possible mechanisms of its reduction. Our system uses fried potato slices previously treated either with phenolic antioxidants from cranberry and oregano or coated with chickpea batter. We have shown that formation of acrylamide in fried potato chips is not an oxidative phenomenon and can be reduced by protective effects of chick pea proteins. Based on the results of our investigation we have proposed a non-oxidative model for acrylamide formation.