$Unique_ID{BRK01886}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Of Barbecuing and Cancer}
$Subject{Barbecuing Bar-B-Que barbecue grill grilled cause causes caused
Cancer cancerous food cook cooked cooking National Cancer Institute
temperature temperatures heat hot HAAs Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines DNA
mutagen mutagens hydrocarbon hydrocarbons polynuclear aromatic fat chemical
chemicals risk risks danger dangers hazard hazards}
$Volume{}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1993  Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Of Barbecuing and Cancer


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QUESTION:  While we were preparing a Bar-B-Que for some invited quests, one
friend told me that we were all being exposed to cancer by eating the food I
had cooked.  Though I tried to pass it off as just another tall tale, she
usually knows about things like this, and I began to wonder.  Can you put my
mind to rest on this one, or perhaps explain what she was referring to.  Thank
you for you wonderful column, I am a regular reader.

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ANSWER:  While all the data isn't in on this one to many people's thinking,
some studies conducted by the National Cancer Institute link cancer in animals
to foods cooked at very high temperatures.  While stove cooking may be done at
more moderate levels, a blazing barbecue may reach 350 degrees Fahrenheit or
above.  During such high heat cooking a group of chemicals are produced in the
food called HAAs (for Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines).  These chemicals can
damage the DNA molecule in laboratory test bacteria, and are therefore
identified as mutagens, for the changed DNA produces new strains of mutated
bacteria.  The theory states that these types of mutations might possibly lead
to cancer in humans after time.  Another potential danger is from the result
of fat dripping on the hot coal, producing a smoke that contains smoky
hydrocarbons (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons) which are deposited on the
surface of the food you are preparing.
     There are some tips that will help you cut down on the amount of these
chemicals in barbecue grilled food.  Use cuts of meat and chicken with all
possible fat removed.  Use cooler burning fuels, like ordinary charcoal, real
hickory wood or maple, rather than mesquite which burns at higher temperature.
Keep the food 5 or more inches above the coals to reduce the chance of
charring, for the blackened meat contains the largest amounts of the
undesirable chemicals.  Precooking your foods by microwaving, boiling, or
poaching before a final pass on the grill is another way to reduce the
production of hydrocarbons or HAAs.  All said and done though, unless you are
on a regular daily diet of barbecued meats and poultry, and ignore these few
tips, your risks are considered to be few.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.