From Tammy Roberts, Health and Nutrition Specialist, Bates County Extension
Summer is a time when
everyone moves outdoors for many activities. One of those activities is
grilling out. It’s hard to beat the flavor of a hot grilled hamburger but does
eating it put you at risk for cancer?
Cooking muscle foods such as
chicken, pork and beef at high temperatures does create a chemical that is not
present in uncooked meat. That chemical is called heterocyclic amine or HCA.
This chemical is formed when amino acids (the building blocks of the protein in
meat) and creatine (a substance naturally present in muscles) are exposed to
high cooking temperatures. This includes frying broiling and grilling.
There are ways to decrease
the amount of HCA’s formed when grilling meat. According to a fact sheet
published by the National Cancer Institute, meats that are partially cooked in
the microwave two minutes prior to grilling have a 90% decrease in HCA content.
There is a further reduction in the amount of HCA’s if the juice that forms
during microwave cooking is poured off before final cooking is done. “There is
another important food safety issue to note when pre-cooking meat in the
microwave” said Tammy Roberts of University of Missouri Extension. “It should
be done just before the meat is transferred to the grill.” Cooking in the
microwave and holding for an extended period of time can increase the chance of
bacteria growth.
Another potentially harmful
substance, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAH, form when fat from meat
drips onto hot coals. PAH’s are then contained in the smoke and flames and get
deposited on the food. PAH’s also form directly on charred food.
The best way to prevent PAH’s
from forming on food is to use lean cuts of meat that won’t drip fat onto the
coals. Another thing to prevent formation is to push the coals to the sides of
the grill and place the meat in the middle so fat doesn’t drip on the coals.
To prevent the formation of
both HCA and PAH, grill meats at a lower temperature and away from a direct
flame. Marinating foods before grilling also helps to decrease the amount of
some of the chemicals that form during grilling.
