What happens if you eat burnt bread

This means that other experts have checked the results. For example, Cancer Research UK disregards research funded by the tobacco industry. Sometimes news outlets exaggerate stories about cancer. But the most important thing is to get information from a trusted source— for example our website and the NHS.

One way of knowing if you can trust health information is by checking if the Patient Information Forum PIF has accredited it.

The PIF makes sure that information is based on up to date evidence and is high quality. You can read more about spotting fake news on cancer on our blog. Dietary acrylamide and cancer risk: an updated meta-analysis. Int J Cancer. Dietary intake of acrylamide and epithelial ovarian cancer risk in the european prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition EPIC cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. Dietary intake of acrylamide and endometrial cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort.

The food industry is exploring methods to do this without reducing desirability and taste, including using lower cooking temperatures and adding chemicals called enzymes to reduce the amount of acrylamide that forms during cooking. No 'safe level' has been established as yet though, says Brent. But this could happen as the science progresses. Burnt toast also contains small amounts of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs , better known as a class of air pollutant. Produced when organic matter is inefficiently burnt, it triggers chemical changes in cells that can result in damage to DNA, which in turn can cause cancer.

While the level at which PAHs are carcinogenic is much higher than most people would consume through eating burnt food such as toast, the safest approach is to avoid exposing yourself to these chemicals if you can. Brent's advice is to toast bread to the lowest acceptable level. And if you want to be really cautious, cut off the crusts as these usually contain more acrylamide from when the bread was baked.

What if you're distracted from the task or your whizz bang toaster lets you down? Don't be tempted to eat the charred toast. For one, acrylamide is not typically associated with meat, dairy, seafood products, or raw plant-based foods. Boiling and steaming foods do not typically form acrylamide.

For foods where acrylamide is likely to form, the FDA has clear recommendations: When it comes to enjoy toast with breakfast, they say bread should be toasted to a light brown color rather than a dark brown color. Avoid very brown areas. They suggest against storing potatoes in the refrigerator , which can increase acrylamide during cooking.

Keep potatoes in a dark, cool place, such as a pantry. Cook cut potato products such as frozen French fries to a golden yellow color rather than a brown color. Brown areas tend to contain more acrylamide. Regarding cooking methods, frying causes acrylamide formation.

At first it was thought that burgers might be the source. Then high levels of acrylamide were found in potato products such as fried potatoes, as well as in coffee. This was a new discovery, but acrylamide must always have been formed in this style of cooking, ever since cooking was invented. Acrylamide is formed in reactions between the natural amino-acid asparagine and some naturally-occurring carbohydrates.

Dairy, meat or fish products are much less likely to contain acrylamide. Acrylamide is also formed when smoking tobacco. This restricts acrylamide formation, though if you cook at too low a temperature you are less likely to kill off bacteria, so there is more risk of food poisoning.

Going back to the barbecue, there are other chemicals in meat that could be a concern. The PAHs are formed from meat fat and juices dripping onto flames in cooking, and HCAs are generated, again in cooking, from reactions between molecules including amino-acids and sugars.

Animal testing has shown exposure to high levels of chemicals such as these is linked with cancer , but these are levels of exposure much higher than humans would get from eating meat. Some studies do appear to have shown that meat that has been burned, fried or barbecued is associated with higher possibilities of certain cancers, but these links are hard to prove for certain.

If you are really concerned, you could reduce exposure risks by cooking in a microwave rather than over naked flames, and turning meat regularly. You could also eat less meat or replace the meat with vegetables when grilling. Of course, your food may not be as tasty, since grilling, baking or toasting produce a lot of molecules that enhance flavour. But if you have a healthy diet with lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grain food, none of which contain acrylamide, things are easier.

It is all a question of proportion. This article was first published on The Conversation.