Pah
Level 5 — High concernIn Winter's Dictionary2 sources
Pah is a other — Group of chemicals (100+ combinations) often found together; environmental contaminants
Also: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
What it does
Group of chemicals (100+ combinations) often found together; environmental contaminants
Where you'll see it
foods grown in contaminated soil, grilled/charred meat, contaminated water, smoke
What the research says
Grilling and charring food increases the amount of PAHs in food. Carcinogens.
[metabolical] PAHs form when fat drips onto a flame (charcoal grilling, smoking meat) and coat the food. They bind DNA bases, generate oxygen radicals, and cause cellular mutations and cancer. Charcoal briquettes release PAHs into the air even without meat on the grill.
Sources
- Metabolical (Lustig) — Chapter 18: PAHs bind to DNA bases, generating oxygen radicals, which can cause cellular mutations… barbecuing or even smoking your meat leads to PAH formation
- A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives (Winter): Grilling and charring food actually increases the amount of PAHs in the food