Frying food at temperatures up to 180 ° C leads to the formation of harmful acrylamide, which increases the risk of cancer. Highly toxic acrolein is formed at temperatures above 200 ° C. Fried foods pose a significant threat to human health.
What substances are formed during frying?
Acrylamide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and furans damage genes and also cause cancer. Although the maximum values for the food industry are defined by law, most people neglect safety at home.
Theoretically, even a small amount of acrylamide, furans and PAHs can damage genetic material. The rule is to consume them as little as possible.
Possible changes in the genetic material can lead to the development of cancer. However, contaminants cannot be completely removed during cooking.
However, the consumer can significantly reduce the amount of contaminants if he does not fry the food too much.
How harmful is acrylamide?
The most famous pollutant is acrylamide. It is obtained by heating foods rich in carbohydrates.
Acrylamide-rich foods:
- fried chips;
- bakery products;
- cookies;
- pancakes;
- potato fritters.
Acrylamide is not formed when cooking on water or steamed. Frying destroys most nutrients, vitamins and aromas. Acrylamides are also found in finished products - chips or fried flakes.
Furans - frequent companions of fried foods
Furans are especially often formed when food is heated in closed containers. People who take fresh food are not exposed to furans. However, coffee, fried toast, crispy cereal or fried nuts also contain these unhealthy substances.
Black peel - a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Especially when smoking food over coal, PAHs occur. In finished products, they are found in smoked fish and meat. 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol is formed during cooking by strongly heating products containing fat and salt.
A toxic compound tends to form in the crust of baked bread or during toasting - the darker the color, the greater it is.
Unlike other pollutants, 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diole is mutagenic, so doctors classify a certain amount as tolerated. The European Food Safety Authority (EFTA) recommends not to exceed 0.8 micrograms of 3-MCPD per kilogram of body weight per day.
Adults on average receive from 0.3 to 0.7 micrograms of this substance per day. In the case of a unilateral diet with many and very fried foods, there is a risk of constantly exceeding the allowable level of consumption.
At higher levels, 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol was used in animal studies to cause benign tumors in the kidneys.
It is not known whether the harmful effects of man are expected and at what level. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce the intake of toxic substances.
Glycation end products are a common cause of civilization diseases.
Glycation end products (CNGs) most often occur when glucose-containing foods overheat and fry. As a result, the sugar molecule becomes unstable, accumulates irreversibly on proteins and in various tissues of the body.
CNGs have been proposed as a possible cause of diabetes complications.
The use of foods rich in these substances enhances the activity of inflammatory cells.
Inflammatory proteins cause significant changes in the immune system and blood vessels. Due to tissue damage, patients with diabetes can experience blindness and brain disorders.
The formation of CNG is part of the normal metabolism. If excessively high levels of CNG are reached in the tissues, the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease increases. Pathological effects are associated with the ability to stimulate inflammation and alter the structure of proteins.
