December 7, 2001 – A food chemical known to cause cancer in rats was found in breast milk in a small study. The agent in question is a heterocyclic aromatic amine called PhIP. It is formed by pyrolysis (chemical decomposition by heat alone) during cooking of meats, when they are grilled or fried. The higher the cooking temperature, the more the PhIP emission increases. No one has yet proven that this substance causes cancer in humans, but researchers have suggested that it may increase the risk of breast cancer in women and cancer in breastfed babies.
Eleven breastfeeding women volunteered for this study. The PhIP was detected in nine of them who had all eaten grilled meat during the last three meals. Of the two women who remained, one had eaten it, but had no trace of PhIP. This phenomenon could be explained by differences between individuals, types of meat or the preparation of the meat.
Despite this, it is important to stress that breastfeeding is preferable to any formula. It is therefore a question of reducing the emission of PhIP during cooking. Thus, it is best to bake meat in the oven or roasting pan, boil it, poach it or braise it. If grilling cannot be done without, it is recommended to turn the meat frequently or marinate it before cooking. You can also lower the cooking temperature. Cooking vegetables and fruit, regardless of the mode used, emits little or no PhIP.
Many toxic chemicals have already been identified in breast milk including PCBs, dioxins, nitrosamines, ethanol and nicotine, but PhIP is one of the few to be so strongly associated with breast cancer. Men are not left out since some studies tend to show that prolonged exposure to PhIP increases the risk of colon and prostate cancer.
Élisabeth Mercader – PasseportSanté.net
According to InteliHealth, November 27, 2001.
