Introduction
The working of the taste buds increases when seeing a golden brown fried dish like a toast. However, certain side effects occur when burnt toast is consumed. These side effects are due to the production of certain harmful components while cooking the food. Acrylamide is one such component that is produced when the food is burnt. Not just burnt toast it is also said that any burnt food can cause cancer. This article explains in detail whether or not burnt toasts are a cancer risk.
What Is Acrylamide?
Acrylamide is a chemical used to make polyacrylamide and acrylamide copolymers. These compounds produce materials like paper, plastics, and dyes. Workers working in industries producing acrylamide components are also effected due to continuous exposure. Acrylamide is a substance that is also found in cigarettes. It is also a component of daily consuming foods like barbeques, fries, etc., heated at a higher temperature and formed through chemical reactions between sugars and amino acids of the food. It is mainly produced when starchy food like breads and potatoes are over cooked or burnt. This dietary acrylamide is said to be linked to adverse health effects, like cancer.
Are Levels of Acrylamide the Same in Every Food?
Levels of acrylamide differ depending on the cooking time, the temperature of the cooking process, the method of the cooking process, and the manufacturer. Therefore the effect of acrylamide can be reduced by decreasing the cooking time.
What Are the Side Effects of Consuming Carbon Compounds Released in Burnt Toast?
The side effects of consuming the carbon compounds released in overcooking the toast can be nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, neurological damage (occurring through inhalation of chemical carbon at a workplace), and a high risk of heart disease. Neurotoxic effects which hamper the nerve cells are also observed.
Is Acrylamide Linked to Cancer?
In 1997, it was reported in a specific location that many animals and fish were found dead, and workers at the nearby construction site suffered from conditions like nausea and vomiting. Investigations later proved that high levels of chemicals containing acrylamide and carbon were released into the water. Acrylamide was first known to be harmful to the environment. However, it has now become a matter of interest in public health. Experiments on rodents proved an increased risk for several types of cancers. Acrylamide is first converted to glycinamide, which damages the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Human experiments, however, showed no evidence of acrylamide causing cancer.
Why Is Burnt Toast a Matter of Interest?
When excessive heat is applied to food during grilling, a chemical reaction occurs between the proteins and sugars in food, causing brown and black shades. This reaction is called the Maillard reaction, which increases the concentrated flavor of the food. Despite the flavor, the following are the byproducts of the chemical reaction.
- Acrylamide.
- Heterocyclic amines (HCAs).
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
HCAs and PAHs are found mostly in overcooking meat, whereas acrylamide is found in everything from burnt french fries to burnt coffee, including cigarette smoke. In addition, they were linked to certain cancers.
- Ovarian cancer.
- Endometrial cancer.
- Pancreatic cancer.
- Colorectal cancer.
The compounds in burnt food can engage in pieces of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid - the genetic material of humans) and create dangerous mutations leading to cancer.
What Is Maillard’s Reaction?
Maillard reaction, also called a nonenzymatic browning reaction, occurs between sugars and proteins due to increased temperature. The byproduct formed in this reaction is glucosamine.
The Maillard reaction includes three steps-
- Early Stage - The reaction between sugar and amino acids results in the formation of glucosamine and water.
- Advanced Stage - Rearrangement of glucosamine, generating a product called ketamine.
- Final Stage - It is the last stage of the Maillard reaction, including the conversion of ketamine.
Is Caramelization and Maillard Reaction the Same?
Caramelization and the Maillard reaction are entirely different processes though the outcome can be similar, and caramelization can occur in foods that undergo the Maillard reaction. Following are the processes where the Maillard reaction can take place -
- Chocolate production.
- Coffee roasting.
- Process of producing malted barley.
- The dark part of baked food.
The brown color produced due to overheating of sugar is called caramelization. It can occur in the following processes.
- Process of producing caramel candies.
- Making caramelized vegetables or fruits such as onions or pears.
- Production of caramel sauce and caramelized milk.
Shouldn’t We Eat Burnt Toast?
Eating burnt food can lead to several health issues. The risks caused by eating burnt food can be reduced by avoiding food cooked at high heat. Instead, grill or fry the food till it turns golden brown instead of dark brown or black. Most people love crispy overcooked items such as barbeques and fried or over-fried dishes made of potatoes. As the chances of a part of the food getting burnt are high in crispy fried food, it is better to avoid or limit the consumption of burnt toast or burnt food.
Can Burnt Toast Cause Cancer?
There is no direct evidence to prove burnt toast causes cancer. Still, the compounds of carbon and acrylamide released in burnt toast can increase the risk of cancer, as proven in the research on rodents.
How to Prevent the Effects of Burnt Toast?
Several campaigns were conducted to raise awareness of overly burnt food, such as “go for gold,” encouraging people to eat food cooked to golden color rather than burnt food. In addition, it is recommended to eliminate burnt toast from the diet and reduce acrylamide intake. Other measures include decreasing the cooking time and opting for other cooking methods like steaming or boiling.
Conclusion
Burnt toast contains acrylamide, which gets produced in starchy foods when cooked in high-heat methods like baking, frying, and roasting. Hence it is made aware not to consume burnt toast for safety. Studies in animals have shown that consuming acrylamide in high amounts can increase the risk of cancer. Various alterations in health due to acrylamide can serve as a risk factor for occurance of cancer. However, in humans, there is no direct evidence to prove that burnt toast can cause cancer.
