The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoked foods may present cancer risks to humans.
The process of curing or smoking meats imparts a particular flavoring and aroma to foods. The smoking process encourages production of chemical compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in meats and other smoked foods. Many PAHs exist, though two of the more common compounds are benzopyrene and naphtalene, a chemical found in mothballs. PAHs have detrimental effects on human health, with links to many types of cancers and other illnesses.
Breast Cancer
Dr. Susan Steck, a researcher at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health, found that women past menopause who consumed large amounts of grilled, barbecued or smoked meats over the course of their lifetimes gained a 47 percent higher risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers studied 1,508 breast cancer victims and 1,556 healthy women. Dr. Steck and colleagues found a significant correlation, but could not prove the relationship between diet and disease with absolute certainty. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in smoked meats may be the culprits, the researchers suggested.
Food-Borne Illness
Botulism, a type of food poisoning caused by improperly-prepared foods, indicates a severe intoxication caused by smoked meats. Illness occurs when the disease-causing Clostridium bacteria, which are present in certain foods, produce toxins that harm humans. Clostridium bacteria possess the ability to produce spores which survive intense temperatures, making this type of bacteria more dangerous than others.
Heart Disease
Harvard researchers found a link between consumption of processed meat, namely smoked items, and a significantly greater risk of heart disease. Dr. Renata Micha, a researcher at the epidemiology department of the Harvard School of Public Health, examined 20 studies encompassing over a million people from 10 different countries of various continents. The researchers concluded that consumers of smoked meats exhibited a 42 percent higher rate of heart disease. On the other hand, consumers of unprocessed red meats such as beef or lamb did not demonstrate higher incidences of heart disease..
Leukemia
A study from the Jan. 13, 2009, issue of BMC Cancer reported that those consuming cured or smoked meats and fish more than one time a week had a 74 percent higher chance of developing leukemia. Dr. Chen-Yu Liu and colleagues studied 145 Chinese children between the ages of two and 20 who had leukemia along with 370 disease-free children and young people of corresponding age and sex groups. The researchers surveyed the children about their eating habits and thus drew their conclusions from these self-reports.
Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer rates are declining in the U.S. while the same rates are increasing in countries where citizens consume large amounts of smoked foods. Researchers partly attribute the decreasing incidences of stomach cancer to reducing consumption of smoked meats. The smoking process causes tars from the incomplete combustion of wood and charcoal to soak into the meat. These types of tars are filled with carcinogens, cancer-causing agents. Professor J. Anderson, foods and nutrition specialist at the University of Colorado Extension, suggests using liquid smoke to achieve the same smoky flavor and reducing the frequency of consuming smoked products to lower cancer risks.
Tags: smoked meats, aromatic hydrocarbons, heart disease, percent higher, smoked foods, breast cancer
