Acetamide is found in red beetroot. Acetamide (or acetic acid amide or ethanamide), CH3CONH2, the amide of acetic acid, is a white crystalline solid in pure form. It is produced by dehydrating ammonium acetate. In the past, acetamide was used as a plasticiser and as a stabiliser. Molten acetamide was frequently used as a solvent in chemical synthesis. It also acts as a solubiliser; its mere addition renders many sparingly soluble compounds more soluble in water. Acetamide has been classified by theInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Group 2B possible human carcinogen, as feeding trials on rats have shown an increase in liver carcinoma.