JULY-AUGUST 2000

It's barbecue TIME! Summertime is finally here. What a joy to be able to cook on the barbecue. Since this cooking method does not require the addition of fat, we can eat lower fat meals. However, if grilling means summer and friends, it isn’t necessarily healthy. In fact, there is a link between the frequent ingestion of grilled meats and the increase in cancer risk. Cooking meats at high temperatures produces aromatic polycyclical hydrocarbonates (APH), benzopyrenes and heterocyclycal amines (HCA). APH’s are located in the crunchy, grilled part of the meat. Benzopyrenes are produced from a chain reaction which starts when the meat fat melts and drips on the heat source (coal, rocks...). The fat burns and produces a smoke. When that smoke comes in contact with the meat, it contaminates it. Benzopyrenes can also be produced directly in the meat when it carbonises. HCA’s are produced when the meat browns. Even though the relation between cancer and barbecuing has not been clearly established, one must be careful! We don’t need to ban barbecuing. Let’s just remember a few valuable precautions which will reduce the risks of developing cancer from eating grilled foods. Adjust the grill high enough to prevent the food from catching on fire. Choose lean cuts of meat. Remove all visible fat and poultry skin prior to cooking. To reduce cooking time, boil or partially cook in the oven certain cuts of meat. They will be more tender this way. Wrap the food in foil to reduce it’s exposure to smoke and to prevent the fat from dripping on the coals. Cover the grill with foil pierced with a few holes or use aluminium barbecuing accessories. Cook with the lid open as much as possible. Do not brush your foods with butter or margarine. Choose barbecue sauce, mustard or a low fat marinate instead. Limit cooking time. Sonia Faggion References: Actualité Santé La toile du Québec Société canadienne du cancer Harmonie Santé conseil.