The aim of the present paper is to describe the level of citizens' knowledge about the threat which may appear in connection with occurrence of compounds such as dioxins and acrylamide in the environment and food. Additionally, the article reports results of questionnaire studies conducted among pomeranian district citizens, concerning assessment of their knowledge about these substances, their formation and the containment of their spreading and toxic effect on the human organism. The reported results of studies in the chosen population show that the level of knowledge and awareness about the threat from toxic dioxins and acrylamide is insufficient. The respondents do not realize that dangerous dioxins may form during lowtemperature combustion processes and may be transformed to the surrounding arable land. Only 1/3 of the respondents are aware of the possibility of formation of dangerous substances during frying, while the majority are either uncertain or just don't know about it. A part of the respondents that buy organic food think that it protects them from harmful substances in their meals, and some of them claim that such substances do not occur at present.