Is grilling meat on gravel safe or carcinogenic?

What materials are formed during grilling?

What is the healthy way to grill and reduce the risk of carcinogens?

The answers to these questions are in this comprehensive report.

The method of grilling meat on building gravel has sparked widespread controversy on the communication platforms in Algeria, coinciding with the celebration of the blessed Eid al-Adha, according to what was monitored by Sanad Agency in the Al-Jazeera network.

Activists - via the TIK TOK application - shared videos of this method, which seemed easier to grill meat, as they put a quantity of gravel in the pot exposed to fire, and then added the pieces of meat to be grilled.

These clips gained thousands of views through the famous application, in addition to their circulation on other communication platforms.

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cause cancer

And Boujalal Youssef, a researcher in microbiology, warned of the danger of cooking meat on the gravel used in construction work.

Where it leads to cancer.

Youssef said - in a post on his Facebook - that "after circulating the method of cooking on pebbles, especially with the advent of Eid al-Adha, it must be clarified that pebbles are considered a carcinogen, that is, they cause cancer."

He continued, "In addition to several other diseases, including skin irritation, eye irritation, in addition to (the) possibility of causing serious respiratory problems, so we must stay away from (from) this method used in barbecue and use alternative methods that are less dangerous, at least in terms of health."

The videos show placing the meat directly over the gravel, and this first threatens the transfer of chemicals to the meat if the gravel or stones are used for construction or industrial purposes.

But even if the gravel is supposedly safe and does not contain chemicals;

The same process of direct grilling over hot pebbles is associated with health risks, which are the dangers of grilling, which are indicated by medical data.

Barbecue and cancer

Cancer Research UK says there is evidence that cooking meat at high temperatures - such as grilling - can produce chemicals that may increase the risk of cancer, although evidence linking eating This meat is actually not 100% clear yet.

According to the National Cancer Institute in the United States, "heterocyclic amines" and "aromatic hydrocarbons polycyclic" are chemicals formed when muscle meat is cooked, including: This is beef, fish or poultry, using high temperature methods, such as frying or grilling directly over an open flame.

In laboratory experiments, it was found that "heterocyclic amines" and "polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons" cause mutations in the genetic material, that is, they cause changes in DNA that may increase the risk of cancer.

"Heterocyclic amines" are formed when amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), sugars, and creatine or creatinine (substances in muscle) react at high temperatures.

PAHs are formed when the fat and juices from grilled meat drips directly onto a hot surface causing flames and smoke. The smoke contains PAHs that then stick to the surface of the meat.

PAHs can also be formed during other food preparation processes, such as smoking meat.

Studies have shown that exposure to heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can cause cancer in animals.

In several experiments, rodents fed a diet containing "heterocyclic amines" developed tumors in the breast, colon, liver, skin, lung, prostate and other organs.

cancers

The rodents, which fed on PAHs, also developed cancers, including leukemia and tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs.

However, the doses of HCAs and PAHs used in these studies were very high, thousands of times the doses a person would consume in a normal diet.

The American Cancer Foundation says that population studies have not demonstrated a definitive association between exposure to heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from cooked meat and cancer in humans.

One difficulty in conducting such studies is that it can be difficult to determine the exact level of exposure of HCAs and PAHs that a person obtains from cooked meat.

However, many epidemiological studies have used detailed questionnaires to examine participants' meat consumption and cooking methods, and some studies have found that higher consumption of well-cooked, fried or grilled meat was associated with increased risks of colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancer.

However, other studies have found no association with the risk of colorectal or prostate cancer.

The National Cancer Foundation says that although there are no specific guidelines for consuming HCAs and PAHs,

individuals can reduce their exposure to carcinogens by using several cooking methods:

  • Avoid direct exposure of meat to an open flame or hot metal surface and avoid long cooking times (especially at high temperatures).

  • Using a microwave oven to cook meat before exposure to high temperatures can significantly reduce HCA formation by reducing the time the meat must be in contact with the high heat to finish cooking (meat can also be boiled and grilled, so that you don't need to to stay a long time above the flame).

  • Constantly stirring the meat on a high heat source can significantly reduce the formation of HCAs compared to simply leaving the meat on the heat source without stirring it too much.

  • Remove the charred parts of the meat.

  • Refrain from using the broth formed during grilling meat.