|
The Right to Healthy Eating: Raising Awareness about Carcinogenic Compounds in Heat Treated Meats
|
Dorsa Hoseinzadeh *    |
| Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran. |
|
|
Abstract: (16 Views) |
Background and Aim: The right to food is a universal human right. States have the primary responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil this right. This includes ensuring that people have the means to produce or prepare nutritious, safe and culturally acceptable food. Meat products are an important part of our daily diet and provide valuable nutrients for the human body. However, thermal processes cause changes in the texture, appearance, taste and chemical properties of meat by changing the structure of protein and other components. Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAA) are one type of heat-induced contaminants of meat that are widely found in protein-containing food products with high carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. These potent mutagens are causative agents of several types of cancer at the nanogram/gram level and are 100 to 2000 times more toxic than aflatoxins and benzopyrenes, respectively. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has also classified some of these amines as carcinogenic and a threat to human health, which highlights the importance of studying the mechanisms of their formation and control in food safety research. The production of heterocyclic aromatic amines increases with increasing temperature and heating time and their presence depends on factors such as meat type, presence of precursors, water activity and cooking method in addition to temperature and time. The use of natural antioxidants found in plant extracts has recently been considered as a promising method to prevent the formation of these amines. In order to improve meat products, this article focuses on the formation, metabolism, biological monitoring and proposed methods to inhibit the production of these contaminants.
Methods: The method of the present study is a traditional review and Google Scholar search engine was utilized for searching specific keywords. The reviewed sources included reputable journals based on chemistry, nutrition and food industry contents.
Ethical Considerations: In the present study, the ethical aspects of library research, including originality of texts, honesty and trustworthiness, were considered.
Results: The production of heterocyclic aromatic amines increases with increasing temperature and heating time and their presence depends on factors such as meat type, presence of precursors, water activity and cooking method in addition to temperature and time. The use of natural antioxidants found in plant extracts has recently been considered as a promising method to prevent the formation of these amines. In order to improve meat products, this article focuses on the formation, metabolism, biological monitoring and proposed methods to inhibit the production of these contaminants.
Conclusion: Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) are a type of pollutant resulting from the heating of meat that has mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. Due to the high toxicity of these compounds, it is essential to eliminate them from the human diet. There are various methods to control HAAs: preventive methods such as reducing water activity, selecting meat and appropriate cooking methods can be used, or various reduction techniques can be used, such as using spices and natural plant extracts containing antioxidants, sulfur-containing compounds and technologies such as cold plasma and various adsorbents. The most important factor determining the formation of these compounds in home methods is the cooking method, which is best done at low heat and for a shorter time. |
|
| Keywords: Antioxidant, Mutagen, Heat, Cancer, Meat |
|
|
Full-Text [PDF 1010 kb]
(6 Downloads)
|
Type of Study: Original Article |
Received: 2025/08/25 | Accepted: 2025/10/23 | Published: 2025/11/29
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Send email to the article author |
|
|
|
| Add your comments about this article |
|
|
|
