Are barbecue grills a serious cancer risk? No, but a lot of research work carried out over the last ten years has alerted us all to the cancer risks associated with barbecue grills; and with the prospect of long summer evenings ahead with barbecue grills and alfresco dinning it's a good time to remind ourselves about these barbecue cancer risks.
In this article we'll review what the scientists and health professionals have been telling us about barbecues and cancer. We'll discuss their advice, but make sure we have the facts to help sure we get things into perspective.
Before we go any further though, don't worry. There's no need to give up on your barbecue grill.
The Villains of the Piece
It's has been a well-established fact for over ten years (perhaps longer) that grilling meat produces at least two types of potentially dangerous carcinogenic chemicals: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and hetrocyclic amines (HCAs).
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are the products of incomplete combustion. They're found in smoke and burned matter. When they're formed they accumulate on the surface of meat (and some types of fish) that hasn't been cooked properly. In large enough quantities there's lots of evidence that they can cause cancer in humans
Hetrocyclic amines are found inside cooked meat more than on the surface. In consequence, you can't get rid of them by scrapping a layer off after cooking. But they aren't just produced by grilling; they can also be created in an ordinary oven or frying pan if the heat is turned up high.
If the existence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and hetrocyclic amines wasn't enough to depress us, fairly recent research on barbecue grilling in France (2003) has profiled the dangers of another group of harmful carcinogenic chemicals, the dioxins. The researchers found that a typical two-hour barbecue session can release into the atmosphere the same level of these dioxins as up to 220,000 cigarettes.
There is absolutely no doubt about the malign influence on our health of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic amines and Dioxins. But what we don't yet know is how much exposure and how long an exposure is required to significantly increase the risk of barbecue cancer.
How Are the Carcinogens formed?
Raw meat and fish contain very minute, almost imperceptible, quantities of PAHs, HCAs and Dioxins. These quantities are not dangerous. It's only when the concentrations of these substances build up during cooking that the risks increase.
Barbecue grilling and other cooking methods that expose meat to smoke or charring contribute to the formation of PAHs; unfortunately this isn't an uncommon occurrence with a barbecue grill! When meat is placed too near the grill burners and the temperature rises excessively, fats and oils drop into the burners of the grill and are partially combusted to form smoke (flavorizer bars help to counteract this).
HCAs are formed when meats are cooked at high temperatures (especially above 300ºF) for longer periods of time. For example; well-done grilled or barbecued chicken and steak all have high concentrations of this carcinogenic substance.
How Can We Minimize Barbecue Cancer Risks?
We shouldn't get over-excited or anxious about being offered a well-seared or slightly burned steak. Nor should we make plans to reduce our Summer BBQ schedule. There is lots of evidence about the risks, but we really don't yet know how serious the threat for those who enjoy barbecue grills in moderation (i.e. a couple of times a week).
Various organizations such as the US National Cancer Institute are still trying to establish national norms. At the moment they have pointed out that:
"There is no good measure of how much HCAs would have to be eaten to increase cancer risk, and as yet no guidelines concerning consumption of foods with HCAs."
No thresholds have been established for PAHs either.
The best we can do at this stage it to take some precautionary steps in much the same way as we do in other areas of our life when making decisions about such things as smoking, drinking and exercise.
Ten Recommended Tips to Minimize the Risks
Even with the uncertainty we've already described there is a consensus on the precautions which should be taken when cooking on barbecue grills:
1. Don't Burn Your Meat. And if you happen to like meat that is a little overdone make sure you eat it sparingly. Try getting used to rare/medium rare meat (but don't undercook it and risk the infection by illness-causing bacteria like E. coli)
2. Minimize Fat. You'll reduce the level of carcinogenic substances by grilling only lean cuts of meat and trimming of excess fat and removing the skin from chicken). Excess fat and fatty skins cause flare-ups and smoke and encourage the formation of PAHs.
3. Balance Your Diet. Plan to barbecue more fish. Fish has much less fat than meat and poultry, and you will reduce the risk of PAH-carrying smoke. Fish also requires less time on the grill, reducing the chances of building up carcinogenic substances.
4. Pre-cook Foods. When food is cooked at high temperatures for long periods there's more chance of HCAs building up. Counteract this by partially cooking meat or poultry beforehand for 2-3 minutes in a microwave (or use an oven at a low temperature) to reduce the chances of building up harmful chemicals.
5. Reduce Grill Heat. On charcoal grills increase the distance between food and hot coals (spread the coals more thinly or raise the cooking grate with bricks). Lower your heat setting if you have a gas grill.
6. Make a Base of Aluminum Foil. Make tiny holes in a piece of foil and place it on the grill underneath your meat. The holes let the fat drip down but will reduce the amount of smoke that billows back. Wrapping meat completely with perforated foil is an even better idea.
7. Oil Your Cooking Grate. If you rub your cooking grate with some cooking oil it will stop the charred material sticking to you food.
8. Use Charcoal and Hardwood as Fuel. They burn at lower temperatures than softwoods. Also bear this advice in mind when choosing wood chips for smoking.
9. Use Marinades. Marinades not only improve food taste, but there's also good evidence that reduce the risks we have been discussing. Research carried out at California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory found that by marinating chicken in a marinade of olive oil, cider vinegar, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and brown sugar it was possible to reduce the level of carcinogenic compounds formed during cooking by over 90 percent. We don't yet know why marinating does this.
10. Keep Your Grill Clean. Scrub your cooking grate thoroughly after each use to avoid the buildup of carcinogenic substances left behind as carbonized food residues. If you have a gas grill with permanent lava briquettes, turn the bricks over frequently putting the greasy side face down. Allow this grease to burn off before you put your food on the grill next time you barbecue grill.
Do You Have to Give Up Your BBQ?
No you don't. If you follow the tips we've provided you'll be reducing the risk of overdosing on carcinogenic substance.
The scientists have still got a lot to find out about the risks involved, and there are a few skeptics around. For example, Steven Milloy of http://www.junkscience.com doesn't believe there's a link between cancer and well-cooked meat. He's more worried about under-cooking a hamburger and increasing the risk of food poisoning!
However, there is a substantial amount of evidence to suggest that there is an increased risk of cancer for individuals that totally ignore the advice that the health professionals have provided.
Make your own mind up, but we always make sure we follow the tips above when we barbecue.
Get more expert tips on healthy BBQ techniques and skills at http://www.barbecues-for-sale.com/ and read up-to-date reviews on the latest and best barbecue grills.
On our site you'll find articles on how to prepare healthy marinades, choose the right charcoal for your BBQ, use meat thermometers - and lots more.
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