Dietary exposure to meat-related carcinogenic substances: is there a way to estimate the risk?

Abstract

N-Nitroso compounds (NOCs), heterocyclic amines (HCAs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAs) are examples of carcinogenic substances, which are formed during cooking and processing of meat. Many researches suggest that high consumption of meat is positively associated with increased risk of some cancers. The majority of the researches are of epidemiological nature and, therefore, provide only associations related to population exposure to diet-related carcinogenic substances. The individual's exposure risk may be estimated by using food frequency questionnaire and analytical methods. However, there is a lack of methods which enable estimation of the risk concerning particular meat meals. The purpose of this paper was to summarize and emphasize the importance of factors influencing the formation of carcinogenic substances in meat during cooking.

High adherence to the Western, Prudent, and Mediterranean dietary patterns and risk of gastric adenocarcinoma: MCC-Spain study

“…The Western pattern includes a high consumption of red and processed meat, which contributes to the generation of N-nitroso compounds that are suspected mutagens and carcinogens [35]. Additionally, cooking and processing meat at high temperatures might also contribute to the production of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are well-known carcinogens [36]. The iron present in these types of meat might also induce free radicals, which cause DNA double-strand breaks and oncogene activation [37].…”

Meat, Fish, Poultry, and Egg Intake at Diagnosis and Risk of Prostate Cancer Progression

“…Heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 2 classes of carcinogenic compounds formed during high-heat cooking of meats, including both red meat and poultry, have been suggested as causes of prostate and other cancers (27,28). Intake of these compounds is difficult to measure in epidemiologic studies (29), but the hypothesis is supported by various lines of laboratory evidence (28). To our knowledge, doneness of meat has not previously been studied with respect to recurrence among patients with prostate cancer.…”

Effects of seasoning on the formation of heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in meats: A meta‐analysis

“…Cooking improves meat digestibility, palatability, and microbiological profile; on the other hand, thermal processing, especially by techniques, such as roasting, grilling, frying, and barbecuing, that uses high temperature, long time, and low humidity, can produce compounds with carcinogenic potential, as heterocyclic aromatic amines—HAs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons–PAHs (Adeyeye, 2018; Bouvard et al., 2015; Trafialek & Kolanowski, 2014).…”

“…The exposure to these compounds depends on the preparation method (Pouzou, Costard, & Zagmutt, 2018); many authors proposed strategies to reduce the formation of HAs and PAHs in meat (Shabbir et al., 2015; Trafialek & Kolanowski, 2014). Studies have also investigated the reduction of temperature and cooking time (Oz, Kaban, & Kaya, 2010), microwave pretreatment (Jinap et al., 2013), and contact with foods rich in bioactive compounds, including spices (Janoszka, 2010, 2011; Lu, Kuhnle, & Cheng, 2018; Sepahpour, Jinap, Khatib, Mohd Manap, & Razis, 2018; Zeng, Zhang, Chen et al., 2017; Zeng, Zhang, He et al., 2017).…”