collect, and on meats that are grilled, broiled, or fried well done Oven roasting leaves relatively few HCAs on the meat but large amounts in the pan drippings Acid marinades reduce HCA production, as does cooking gently and aiming for a rare or medium doneness Vegetables, fruits, and acidophilus bacteria (p 47) appear to bind HCAs in the digestive tract and prevent them from causing damage Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons PAHs are created when nearly any organic material, including wood and fat, is heated to the point that it begins to burn (p 448) Cooking over a smoky wood fire therefore deposits PAHs from the wood on meat A charcoal fire is largely smokeless, but will create PAHs from fat if the fat is allowed to fall and burn on the coals, or if the fat ignites on the meat surface itself Small quantities of PAHs can also be formed during high-temperature frying The PAH hazard can be minimized by grilling over wood only when it has been reduced to coals, by leaving the grill uncovered so that soot and vapors can dissipate, by avoiding fat flareups, and by eating smoked meats only rarely Nitrosamines Nitrosamines are formed when nitrogen-containing groups on amino acids and related compounds combine with nitrite, a chemical that has been used for millennia in salt-cured meats, and that suppresses the bacterium that causes botulism (p 174) This reaction between amino acids and nitrites takes place both in our digestive system and in very hot frying pans Nitrosamines are known to be powerful DNA-damaging chemicals, yet at present there’s no clear evidence that the nitrites in cured meats increase the risk of developing cancer Still, it’s probably prudent to eat cured meats in moderation and cook them gently ... at present there’s no clear evidence that the nitrites in cured meats increase the risk of developing cancer Still, it’s probably prudent to eat cured meats in moderation and cook them gently... when nitrogen-containing groups on amino acids and related compounds combine with nitrite, a chemical that has been used for millennia in salt-cured meats, and that suppresses the bacterium that causes botulism (p... grilling over wood only when it has been reduced to coals, by leaving the grill uncovered so that soot and vapors can dissipate, by avoiding fat flareups, and by eating smoked meats only rarely Nitrosamines