However, can grilling food at such a high heat be safe? There’s been some concern about compounds that are formed when meat is grilled. These compounds are called heterocyclic amines – say that five times fast! – or HCAs for short.

We asked Dr. Raymond Thomas, associate professor at Memorial University, an expert in grilled food nutritional quality and safety, to clue us in on the dangers of HCAs and provide tips and tricks to reduce their presence in grilled meats.

What exactly are HCAs? How are they formed in grilled meat?

Dr. Thomas: “Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are a type of nitrogen-containing compound formed while cooking protein-rich foods, such as meat. The chemical structure of HCAs includes ring-like structures called heterocyclic rings, and nitrogen-containing compounds, called amines. They were first discovered from smoke condensation. Following their discovery, studies found that higher levels of these HCAs were present in the charred parts of broiled or grilled meat (beef, pork, lamb and chicken) and fish. HCAs are also formed during normal cooking of processed meat products.”

“HCAs can be formed from the reaction of amino acids (the building blocks of protein), creatine (a compound found in living tissue), creatinine (a breakdown product of creatine) and hexoses (various forms of simple sugars) during conventional cooking, such as in an oven, at temperatures around 150-300 ᵒC. HCAs can also be formed by the reaction of amino acids and proteins at temperatures above 300 ᵒC cooking temperatures.”

When I’m cooking food at home is there anything that influences the level of HCAs in my food?

Dr. Thomas: “The formation of HCAs, the type of HCAs formed, as well as the amount of HCA formed while cooking meat is influenced by a number of factors. The most important factors include: cooking temperature, cooking time, cooking method (dry vs wet), type of meat, type of meat cut, acidity of meat, fat content of the meat, types of amino acids that make up the protein content in the meat and the presence of sugars in the meat.”

When I consume HCAs what are the health risks?

Dr. Thomas: “HCAs are known carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds) and mutagens (mutation causing compounds). Studies in rats and mice have shown that cancers can develop from being exposed to HCAs. These include cancers of the colon, liver, mouth, lung, skin, small intestine, blood vessels and urinary bladder.”

“Studies have also shown that consuming HCAs through eating red meat could increase the risk of developing colorectal, stomach, lung, pancreas, mammary and prostate cancers in humans.”

Right now, there are studies going on at Memorial University that are looking at strategies to decrease the formation of HCAs in grilled meat.

 Is there anything I can do at home to reduce these health risks?

Dr. Thomas: “Yes, there is a lot that you can do at home! Since the cooking temperature, time and method are important factors influencing HCA formation, you should avoid overcooking meat and, if possible, use cooking methods such as steaming or boiling as opposed to grilling, roasting, frying or broiling. Grilling, roasting, frying or broiling exposes food to much higher temperatures and under drier conditions, which are known to increase HCA development.

“Another way to reduce HCA formation in food is to treat foods with natural antioxidants before and after cooking. This includes marinating with herbs, spices, unfiltered beers, wines and mixtures (sauces). Marinating with these ingredients has been shown to be an excellent strategy for reducing HCA development and consumption, as well as the potential cancer health risks. So, marinating meat adds additional flavours to cooked meat and also reduces your exposure to HCAs formed during cooking – a win-win I would say.”

Grilling and other methods that cook meat at high temperatures can lead to the creation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) a type of nitrogen-containing compound that has been linked to certain types of cancer. Marinating meat prior to grilling reduces the development of HCAs.

The post Are There Risks to Eating Charred Meat? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

CNN states that the study offers a “possible explanation” for the relationship between organic food and cancer risk stems from the reduction of contaminants during the growing phase.

To gain a better understanding of this study, we collaborated with Dr. Ruth MacDonald at Iowa State University.

Should people be concerned about eating non-organic food?

Dr. MacDonald: “Commercially grown foods are safe and consumers should not be concerned about eating non-organic foods. The pesticides used in commercial foods are tested for safety by the FDA and must be used within specific guidelines by growers. The FDA records pesticide residues in the food supply regularly through the FDA Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program and these reports are available on the FDA website. For the great majority of foods, the amount of chemical residue is magnitudes lower than the established safety levels.”

What your thoughts or takeaways on this study?

Dr. MacDonald: “The study was a survey of 70,000 people living in France who were asked to record their food intake and then to provide information about whether they typically consumed organic foods. The participants were followed for four and a half years and any cases of cancer that occurred during that time were recorded. They study found that the overall cancer risk was 25% lower in people who reported the highest consumption of organic foods. Whereas this is a well-designed study, several aspects limit the ability to make generalizations about the role of organic food specifically in preventing cancer. Further research is needed to determine.”

The researchers pointed out this is one study and the research findings are absolute. “At the current stage of research, the relationship between organic food consumption and cancer risk is still unclear,” Dr. Jorge E. Chavarro and his colleague wrote in the commentary.

When it comes to maintaining a healthy diet, Dr. MacDonald said that the most important aspect is to consume a wide variety of foods that meet the nutritional needs at each stage of life.

“Both commercially produced and organic foods can be part of a healthy diet,” said MacDonald. “A product that is labeled organic might not be the healthiest choice if it is high in calories and low in nutrients. It is always best to read the nutrition facts panel to determine the healthfulness of a food product and not to just rely on words such as organic or natural.”

Both organic and commercially produced foods are safe to eat. Whatever you choose, it is important to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet to lead a healthy life. If your fruits and vegetables are organic or not, always wash your fresh produce before consuming it.

The post Study Links Organic Food to Reduced Cancer Risk appeared first on Best Food Facts.

You may have recently heard about the World Health Organization’s announcement regarding processed meats being carcinogenic or cancer-causing. Here are the top three things you should know about this announcement.

1. There Are Many Different Types of Meats Included in the Report

The report is in reference to processed meat and red meat. Processed meat is defined as any meat that’s been “transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking or other processes to enhance flavor or improve preservation.” Red meat is beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton or goat.

2. Carcinogen Classification Can be Confusing

In the report, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a well-known and respected agency of the World Health Organization, groups processed meat in the same carcinogenic group as smoking and alcohol and red meat in the same group as ultraviolet radiation. It’s important to remember that this classification indicates the hazard level of red and processed meats as it relates to cancer, but not the potential risk or how potent a carcinogen red and processed meats are. 

While the report found that daily consumption of processed meat (50 grams or 3 slices of bacon) may raise the risk of colorectal cancer, this was an increase by 18 percent (.18), not to 18 percent (18.0). According to the National Cancer Institute, an average American’s lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is 4.5 percent. If you were to consume 50 grams of processed meat daily, your possible risk would increase to 5.3 percent, which is very low.

3. This Doesn’t Mean You Should Avoid Red and Processed Meats; Moderation is Key

If you are eating a diet that is high in meat products and processed meats, you may want to consider cutting back a bit. However, you don’t need to eliminate them. They can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced and active lifestyle.

_{Image: Bacon by cyclonebill is licensed by CC BY SA 2.0.}

The post 3 Things You Need to Know About Processed Meats and Cancer appeared first on Best Food Facts.