With the beautiful days, the barbecue returns to the front of the stage. It cooks fish, vegetables, and of course all types of red meat. With the latter in particular, you have to be careful. In addition to the fact that consuming them exposes you to a greater risk of cancer, consuming them incorrectly also has an impact, poor cooking can present health risks. Here are some rules to get it right.
“Cooking food at high temperatures, especially in direct contact with flame, leads to surface formation of chemical compounds some of which, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and in particular benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), have carcinogenic properties”, reminds ANSES in a note on the subject.
Do not cook your meat in flames
Besides, in an interview with 20 Minutesthe toxicologist and scientific project manager in the food risk assessment unit at ANSES explains that they can damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer. They grow in the smoke of burning charcoal and in the black deposit that forms on grilled meat.
But the risk of dietary overexposure to these compounds can be quite easily limited, provided that some cooking recommendations. Choose the right charcoal, cook with embers and not flames, avoid contact with firelighters… Here are the essential rules for a barbecue that is as healthy as possible.
Sources: 20 Minutes, Anses
