How does burnt food cause cancer?
In: Biology
Burnt food can contain a chemical called acrylamide. Your body converts acrylamide to a carcinogenic compound called glycidamide, which can damage DNA and cause mutations.
There are studies on rats getting cancer after getting exposed to very high levels of acrylamide. Humans and animal models metabolize carcinogens differently though, so it’s hard to conclusively say that a certain level of acrylamide exposure causes cancer.
Source: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/acrylamide-fact-sheet
It possibly can cause cancer, there isn’t yet a proven direct link. There is something called the Maillard reaction when proteins and sugars are cooked together. The chemical reaction produces the smells and flavours we enjoy in cooked food and how this process may, on occasions also be damaging for human health. https://youtu.be/3EOnACA7Lic
So, like would those little crusty burned bits on grilled meats count? Or just a little burned popcorn (I know this one makes me a psychopath but it’s who I am)? Seriously, there’s a lot of foods we let intentionally burn a little to enhance the flavor.
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