Can burnt food cause cancer: a doctor's explanation

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Many people have heard that that burnt food is dangerous. Namely, it can provoke the occurrence of oncological diseases.

Is this so, and what are the risks for those who like food “with a crust”, with reference to Rashmi Sinha, a senior researcher at the National Cancer Institute (Great Britain). According to the specialist, not everything is clear in this matter and you should not panic, but you should still listen to a number of useful tips.

Sinha said that indeed burnt food can cause cancer, but in this case we should be talking about animals. As for people, the expert emphasized that there are still no unambiguous studies and conclusions on this topic.

“It is not clear for people,” said Sinha.

The expert explained why eating during heat a crust appears on the finish and why it is black or dark brown in color.

“When we heat food – especially when we fry or grill it – a chemical reaction occurs between the protein chains and the simple sugars in the food, causing caramelization, which turns the food brown and black. This transformation is known as the Maillard reaction. It is valued for its ability to retain flavor in food,” the scientist said.

At the same time, she added that this is not the only chemical reaction that occurs during frying.

” With such heat treatment, a number of truly harmful reactions also occur,” she said.

The expert clarified that it is about the formation of acrylamide, heterocyclic amines (HKA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).

< p>HCAs and PAHs are usually formed during the cooking of meat and, respectively, are formed either by the binding of proteins, sugars and fats, or by the formation of smoke due to dripping juices. Acrylamide is more versatile and can be found in everything from burnt coffee to french fries and even cigarette smoke.

In the body, these three compounds can damage parts of DNA and create potentially dangerous mutations, Sinha said. At the same time, she noted that despite these data, the National Institutes of Health are careful to label these compounds as certain cancer-causing carcinogens.

“We know for sure: HCAs and PAHs contribute to the development of cancer in animal models (including monkeys), and acrylamide promotes the development of cancer in rodent models. However, it is much more difficult to confirm these results on human models – both from a logistical and ethical point of view,” said the expert.

She explained that all previous research on this topic was limited to observations and surveys. But clinical trials are needed for official and scientific conclusions.

“However, these trials can at best show a correlation between cooking methods and cancer, they cannot prove a causal relationship,” she believes.

“Regarding acrylamide in particular, human studies have so far produced mixed results, with some researchers concluding that the compound contributes little to cancer risk. It is also difficult to know at what concentration these compounds become dangerous, because they can vary widely depending on the type of food and preparation,” Sinha added.

According to her, a number of scientists still admit that that eating burnt food can cause: ovarian cancer, skin cancer, colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer. But, as she emphasized, this theory needs additional diagnosis.

While there is no clear answer, the scientist urged not to cook food on too high a heat and to prevent it from burning.