From: Mark W. Dubin
Subject: Re: Barbecued foods and health risk
Originator: dubin@spot.Colorado.EDU
Nntp-Posting-Host: spot.colorado.edu
Reply-To: dubin@spot.colorado.edu
Organization: Univ. of Colorado-Boulder
Lines: 16

rsilver@world.std.com (Richard Silver) writes:


>Some recent postings remind me that I had read about risks 
>associated with the barbecuing of foods, namely that carcinogens 
>are generated. Is this a valid concern? If so, is it a function 
>of the smoke or the elevated temperatures? Is it a function of 
>the cooking elements, wood or charcoal vs. lava rocks? I wish 
>to know more. Thanks. 

I recall that the issue is that fat on the meat liquifies and then
drips down onto the hot elements--whatever they are--that the extreme
heat then catalyzes something in the fat into one or more
carcinogens which then are carried back up onto the meat in the smoke.

--the ol' professor
