Breakfasts that include fried eggs, sausages and bacon are not only bad for your heart. They could also mean serious problems for your lungs, especially if you cook them, a new study suggests.
Researchers have found that frying certain foods triggers the release of similar pollutants that fill the outdoor air in urbanized cities and are known to increase the risk of lung diseases.
Former studies Studies involving chefs have shown that exposure to cooking emissions is associated with chronic diseases in chefs.
but the new experimentConducted by experts at the University of British Columbia, it is the first in which researchers reveal that certain compounds can form in domestic kitchens.
A new study found that cooking different foods in a pan on the stove produces potentially harmful chemicals.
The study looked at the emissions and chemicals produced when cooking common meals using a frying pan, including pancakes, fried Brussels sprouts and stir-fried vegetables.
To measure the amount of contaminants produced when frying food, researchers set out to capture the smoke and emissions released by cooking using a tool called an impinger, a small bottle designed to collect chemicals in the air.
After analyzing the emissions, the scientists found that cooking produced carbon aerosols, small particles or liquid droplets in the air, called BrCOA.
The team then exposed these aerosols to overhead lighting in typical homes and to natural sunlight.
They found that all meals released the same amount of carbon aerosols which then produced a harmful compound. called singlet oxygen when exposed to light.
Singlet oxygen is a highly reactive compound that can cause lung damage and contribute to the development of cancer, diabetes and heart disease, previous studies have shown.
While all meals produced singlet oxygen at approximately the same concentration, the highest amounts were detected when the vapors were exposed to sunlight, meaning that kitchens with natural sunlight coming in through windows could have the same effect. greater amount of compounds in the air.
These compounds not only form while cooking, but scientists said they can remain in the air long after you have eaten, leading to persistent degradation of air quality in the home.
The study found that the amount of singlet oxygen produced by cooking was present at levels similar to those of air pollution measured outdoors, but could be more dangerous indoors because it is a confined space with less ventilation.
While singlet oxygen compounds It can be useful – sometimes used as cancer therapy to cause death from cancer – have also been associated with damage to cells in the body.
Investigation has shown that the chemical can also cause damage to DNA and tissues, particularly the skin and eyes, and can cause swelling, blisters and scarring.
Because this is the first study of its kind, scientists said more research is needed to fully understand singlet oxygen related to cooking and other cooking emissions.
Dr. Nadine Borduas-Dedekind, assistant professor of chemistry at UBC and lead author of the study, said, “Our next steps include determining how this oxidant might affect humans and how much we breathe when we cook.” Could it play a role in some cooking-related illnesses?
In an effort to reduce the amount of this chemical, researchers recommend turning on kitchen fans, opening windows to let in fresh air, and using an air filter in the kitchen.
Cooking with an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil, can also help mitigate indoor contamination.
He study was published in the journal Environmental Science: Atmospheres.