Breakfasts of fried eggs, sausages and bacon are not only bad for your heart. They can also cause serious problems for your lungs, especially if you cook them, a new study suggests.
Researchers have found that frying certain foods releases similar pollutants that flood the outdoor air in built-up cities and are known to increase the risk of lung disease.
Last studies involving chefs have shown that exposure to cooking emissions is linked to chronic diseases in chefs.
But the new one experimentby experts at the University of British Columbia, is the first in which researchers have revealed that certain compounds can form in domestic kitchens.
A new study has found that cooking various foods in a skillet on the stove produces potentially harmful chemicals
The study analyzed the emissions and chemicals released when preparing common meals using a frying pan, including pancakes, fried Brussels sprouts and stir-fries.
To measure the amount of pollutants produced by frying the meals, researchers tried to capture the smoke and emissions released during cooking using a tool called an impinger, a small bottle intended to capture chemicals in the air.
After analyzing the emissions, scientists found that cooking produced carbon aerosols, small particles or liquid droplets in the air, called BrCOA.
The team then exposed these aerosols to overhead lighting in typical homes and natural sunlight.
They found that all meals released the same amount of carbon aerosol, which then produced a harmful substance called singlet oxygen when exposed to light.
Singlet oxygen is a highly reactive compound that can cause lung damage and contribute to the development of lung cancer cancer, diabetes and heart disease, previous studies have shown.
While all meals produced singlet oxygen at approximately the same concentration, the highest amounts were detected when the vapors were exposed to sunlight. This means that kitchens with natural sunlight streaming in through the windows can have the most airborne substances.
Not only are these compounds created during cooking, but scientists say they can also linger in the air long after you've eaten, leading to a persistent deterioration in air quality in your household.
The study found that the amount of singlet oxygen produced by cooking was at similar levels to environmental pollution measured outdoors, but can be more dangerous indoors because it is a confined space with less ventilation.
While singlet oxygen compounds can be useful – sometimes used as a cancer therapy to cause cancer death – they have also been linked to damage to the body's cells.
Research has shown that the chemical can also cause DNA and tissue damage, especially to the skin and eyes, and cause swelling, blistering and scarring.
Because this is the first study of its kind, the scientists say more research is needed to fully understand cooking-related singlet oxygen and other cooking emissions.
Dr. Nadine Borduas-Dedekind, UBC assistant professor of chemistry and lead author of the study, said: 'Our next steps include determining how this oxidant may affect humans and how much we inhale when we cook. Could it play a role in some cooking-related diseases?'
In an effort to reduce the amount of this chemical, researchers recommend turning on ventilation fans in the kitchen, opening windows for fresh air and using an air filter in the kitchen.
Cooking with an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil, can also help reduce indoor pollution.
The study was published in the journal Environmental Science: Atmospheres.