Deep Fried Mars Bar by Xian from Lancaster
Recent nutritional studies by researchers at Tehran and Toronto
universities into dietary patterns and breast cancer risk show that healthy
eating was associated with eliminating three-quarters of the odds of breast
cancer, whereas less healthy eating was associated with up to nearly eight
times the odds. Included in the unhealthy eating pattern was the consumption of
deep-fried foods, which have previously been linked to breast cancer,
pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, oral and throat cancers. Researchers
at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle found that regular intake
of deep fried foods, in this instance French fries, chicken, fish, and
doughnuts appeared to contribute to the progression of prostate cancer as well.
The problem
lies in the heat of deep fry oil, which can generate potentially carcinogenic compounds, when chicken and fish are cooked at high temperature. Deep-fried plants, on the other hand, can form acrylamide.
Acrylamide
intake has been associated with risk of endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer,
lung cancer, kidney cancer, and throat cancer. The level of cancer risk
associated with French fries depends on how long and hot they’re fried and to
avoid the generation of carcinogenic compounds and acrylamide, cooking
temperature and cooking time should be as low and as short as possible.
Despite
promises by the food industry to the European Food Safety Authority of
self-regulation and control of fry times there appears to have been little
change to date.
Blanching
potatoes before deep frying reduces the formation of acrylamide but potato chip
manufacturers and chippies complain that this reduces flavour and leaches away
some vitamin C, though if you are relying on potato chips for your daily dose
of vitamin C, you probably won't be thinking too seriously about cancer producing
compounds.
As with all
dietary advice, moderation is the key word. An occasional deep fry-up is not going to
give you cancer, though a daily dip into deep fries may be shortening the odds –
not only on cancer but obesity which is a quick route to a number of cancers – see my
blog 14.
No cancer
risk study has yet been published on the consumption of that alleged Scottish
delicacy, the Deep fried Mars Bar. I recently saw an online recipe for this, served with French fries….eat that dish too often, and cancer risk will be the least of your worries!
Further Reading
