The weather is warming up, which means it’s time to fire up the barbie.
However, cooking meat — beef, pork, chicken or even fish — at too-high heats can trigger the formation of dangerous chemicals. The smoke created by fat falling onto coals can contain carcinogenic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which settle back onto your food. Char-grilling meat can also create heterocyclic amines (HCAs), substances that are linked to cancer risk. Plus, the USA’s National Toxicology Program has recently added MelQ and MelQx — two other compounds made when meat is grilled at high temperatures – to its list of carcinogens. So, before you get grilling, follow these hot tips to reduce these risks and enjoy a safer barbeque.
Choose lean cuts and trim off fat or skin. Using smaller pieces of meat, such as kebabs, lessens cooking time and minimises smoke exposure.
Marinate your meat in vinegar- or lemon-based sauces before barbequing it. According to a study in Food Chemistry Toxicology, a marinade of olive oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and salt cut the formation of HCAs by 90 per cent.
Position your meat at least 15 centimetres from the heat source and turn once a minute to prevent burning. To minimise PAH and HCA formation, place a pan under the grill rack to catch dripping fat.
PAHs and HCAs form on meat due to a reaction between the meat’s protein and creatine, an amino acid found in muscle tissue; so, vegetables and vegetable-derived foods like tofu or tempeh are safer fare.
When making patties or burgers for a barbeque, be lavish with minced garlic, oregano and rosemary. Apart from adding flavour, they are all rich in antioxidants which help counter carcinogen formation. Even better, use a 50:50 mixture of minced meat and textured vegetable protein (TVP). TVP’s texture is indistinguishable from meat, and it has been shown to slash HCA levels when used in this way.
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