Benzopyrene is the earliest discovered carcinogen, and the World Health Organization has classified it as a Group 1 carcinogen.
This means that benzopyrene has been identified as a carcinogen in experiments conducted on both humans and animals.
How is Benzopyrene Produced?
When it comes to delicious dishes that many people love, grilled meat is certainly a favorite. Particularly, grilling over charcoal is often preferred over electric grilling. Under the heat of glowing red coals, fat from the meat continuously drips onto the fire, producing benzopyrene in the smoke, which adheres to the surface of the meat.
Research has shown that the levels of benzopyrene are related to the temperature at which people grill meat, the fat content in the meat, and the proximity to the fire source. In other words, the higher the temperature, the higher the fat content, and the closer to the fire, the higher the amount of benzopyrene produced.
However, grilled meat is not something we consume daily. There are two other more familiar foods that contain significant amounts of benzopyrene, and frequent consumption can increase the risk of cancer in your body.
1. Smoked Foods
Smoked fish fillets, ham sausages, etc., are very common after being smoked and grilled at high temperatures. The fat drips continuously from the meat and comes into contact with the charcoal fire, resulting in a thermal polymerization reaction that produces benzopyrene.
Benzopyrene can also be hidden on the surface of foods. (Illustrative image).
Moreover, benzopyrene can remain on the surface of these foods. A dataset has shown that the benzopyrene content in the skin of these foods can penetrate up to 1.5mm from the surface, and it continues to infiltrate the food over time as it is stored. Once consumed, this increases health risks.
In addition, behind the delicious smoked dishes, everyone also faces a high salt content. Long-term consumption of high-salt foods can lead to risks such as hypertension and damage to the stomach lining.
2. Burnt Garlic
In daily life, have you ever noticed if garlic becomes burnt from cooking at high temperatures for extended periods? If this happens, be careful not to eat it and pay attention to the temperature of the garlic pot next time.
Here, we should not only be concerned about the benzopyrene content in smoke from cooking at high temperatures for extended periods but also the acrylamide produced in garlic, which is another carcinogen.
What Are the Risks of Benzopyrene to the Human Body?
As mentioned earlier, it is a potent carcinogen. Animal experiments have shown that benzopyrene can cause various types of cancer, including lung cancer, stomach cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and bladder cancer. For those who consume pickled foods, smoked foods, and grilled foods over extended periods, the longer the body absorbs benzopyrene, the longer the incubation period for cancer and the higher the risk of developing the disease.
Therefore, everyone should pay attention to their daily diet, actively minimize the harmful effects of benzopyrene, and avoid fried, smoked, and grilled foods. If you occasionally crave these foods, try to consume them in small amounts and combine them with more fresh vegetables to mitigate their harmful effects and protect your health.
