Marinating
'may cut cancer risk'
A boozy marinade may be healthy
Marinating
a steak in red wine or beer can cut down the number of cancer-causing
agents produced when it is fried or grilled, research suggests.
Meat
cooked in this way contains relatively high levels of cancer-causing
compounds called heterocyclic amines (HAs).
However,
Portuguese researchers found HA levels in steak were lower if
it was steeped in alcohol before cooking.
Details
of the research are highlighted in New Scientist magazine.
"It
may seem appetising to marinate steak in beer or wine, but
this will have a minimal impact " |
Dr
Kat Arney
Cancer Research UK |
However,
experts said the effect on health was likely to be minimal.
The
high temperatures associated with frying and grilling convert
the natural sugars and amino acids found in meat into HAs.
Previous
research has shown that an olive oil, lemon juice and garlic
marinade cut HA levels in chicken by as much as 90%.
The
latest research, by a team at the University of Porto and published
in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, focused on
the effect of an alcohol marinade.
They
found six hours of marinating in beer or red wine cut levels
of two types of HA by up to 90% compared with unmarinated steak.
Beer
was more efficient at reducing levels of a third type of HA,
cutting levels significantly in four hours, while wine took
six hours to achieve a similar effect.
Sugars
The researchers believe the key could be water-retaining sugars
found in beer and wine.
These
sugars - which are more abundant in beer than wine - may block
the movement of water-soluble molecules within the steak to
the surface, where high heat converts them into HAs.
The
researchers also found that tasters preferred the smell, taste
and appearance of beer-marinated steak.
Scientists
have found 17 different HAs resulting from the high temperature
cooking of meat.
One
study showed a strong link between stomach cancer and consumption
of cooked meats.
People
who preferred their beef medium-well or well done were more
than three times more likely to suffer stomach cancer as those
who ate rare or medium-rare beef.
Other
research has suggested an association between eating fried,
grilled or barbecued meats and an increased risk of bowel, pancreatic
and breast cancer.
Dr
Kat Arney, senior science information officer at Cancer Research
UK, said: "We know that regularly eating large amounts
of red or processed meat increases your cancer risk.
"It
may seem appetising to marinate steak in beer or wine, but this
will have a minimal impact on the effect of the meat on your
cancer risk and the best way to reduce your risk of cancer from
eating red and processed meat is to eat less of it overall.
"Cancer Research UK recommends that a healthy diet should
include plenty of fibre, fruit and vegetables and limited amounts
of red meat and alcohol."