Hot warning vs grilling

Suddenly, it’s summer and suddenly, the great outdoors beckon. It’s time to chill out. And for a lot of outdoorsy people, it’s time to get cooking! But before you take out your trusty (often rusty) grill and shake off last summer’s grime, heed this friendly warning from the US National Cancer Institute: Beware of the hidden dangers of grilling. Grilled foods contain two groups of carcinogenic compounds – HCAs (heterocyclic amines), formed in the muscle of meat, poultry, and fish cooked at high temperatures; and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), formed when fat drips on a flame, heating element, or hot coals. The smoke from the grill is laced with these carcinogens. They form directly on charred food.

Also, cooking meat over charcoal emits air pollutants like hydrocarbons, furans, steroids, and pesticide residues, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Write Michael Jacobson, Lisa Lefferts, and Anne Witte Garland in Safe Food – Eating Wisely in a Risky World: "Barbecuing may be one of those great American pastimes, but it is not entirely safe . . . Back in the 1700s, PAH-containing soot was linked to cancer in chimney sweeps – today, grilled meat is the major source of PAHs in food."

They are quick to add, "If you eat grilled meats only once in a blue moon, your risk is minimal. But if you enjoy grilled foods regularly, you can do several things to make grilling safer."

Now, that’s comforting to hear, especially because grilling is a great low-fat way to cook – think grilled panga ng tuna, grilled salmon belly, grilled prawns, grilled pusit, grilled buffalo wings, grilled potato skin, grilled pineapple slices soaked in rum, lemon juice, and cinnamon, among other grilled thrills. Are you hungry already?

But first, take a few cool tips to make grilling safer, from the authors of Safe Food and other grilling experts:

• Always thaw meat before grilling. Cooking frozen meat over-exposes the surface.

• Precook meat for two minutes in the microwave before grilling.

• Keep fat from dripping onto the heat source and producing smoke. Use a drip pan, wrap meats in foil, or grill the meats to one side of (not directly over) the coals. Increase the distance between the heat source and meat. If the results don’t produce enough of that "charcoal-broiled" taste, try a little liquid smoke. You’ll get fewer PAHs that way.

• Grill vegetables instead of meat. Vegetables, fruit, and soyfoods don’t form carcinogens when grilled.

• Cut the fat. Select the least fatty cuts of meat, or choose fish (it cooks faster, too) or poultry instead of beef or pork (so there’s less fat to drip on the heat source). Remove skin and trim off fat before cooking.

• Keep oil in marinades to a minimum. You can use barbecue sauce or low-fat salad dressing for basting instead.

• Avoid charring meats. Grill over medium heat to prevent flare-ups. Grill only properly thawed meat; otherwise, the outside may char while the inside remains frozen. Cut away any charred parts before eating.

• Use regular charcoal. Mesquite or other soft woods burn at a higher temperature and form more PAHs than regular charcoal, which is made from hardwood.

Note that using a gas grill doesn’t keep the lethal PAHs away.

• Reduce smoke exposure whenever possible. Cover grill with foil and punch holes to let the fat drip away.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission gives these charcoal grill safety tips:

• Never burn charcoal inside your home, a vehicle, tent or camper. Never use charcoal indoors, even if ventilation is provided.

• Since charcoal produces CO fumes (beware of carbon monoxide poisoning), until the charcoal is completely extinguished, do not store the grill indoors with freshly used coals.

And here are some gas grill safety tips:

• Check the tubes that lead into the burner for any blockage (from insects, food grease, etc.). Use a pipe cleaner or wire to clear blockage and push it through to the main part of the burner.

• Check grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes, and leaks. Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing.

• Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and dripping hot grease. If you can’t move the hoses, install a heat shield to protect them.

• Replace scratched or nicked connectors as they can eventually leak gas.

• Check for gas leaks. If you detect a leak, immediately turn off the gas at the tank and don’t attempt to light the grill until the leak is fixed.

• Keep lighted cigarettes, matches, or open flames away from a leaking grill.

• Do not use the grill in a garage, carport, porch, or under a surface that can catch fire.

• Never attempt to repair the tank valve or the appliance yourself. See an LP gas dealer or a qualified appliance repair person.

• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions that accompany the grill.

• Be careful when storing LP gas containers. Always keep containers upright. Never store a spare gas container under or near the grill. Never store a full container indoors. Never store or use flammable liquids, like gasoline, near the grill.

Have a safe summer cookout, everybody!

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