What is Smoked Meat?
Smoking is an ancient cooking technique that exposes meat to smoke and slow-cooks it for long hours. The smoke adds a flavor of its own to the meat and gives the cooked meat a unique taste that people love.
This cooking technique dates back to the paleolithic era (old stone age). There are two reasons why meat is smoked.
- Certain chemicals like formaldehyde in smoke help preserve meat. Therefore, meat is smoked to increase its shelf life.
- Smoking creates a brown and crispy exterior to the meat and makes the meat taste better. Slow-cooking using smoke also makes meat juicer.
Does Smoked Meat Cause DNA Damage?
One of the chemicals produced due to burning wood while smoking food is Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH). PAHs are carcinogenic (cancer-causing) agents. There are two ways PAH damages the DNA.
- Some types of PAH can react with the DNA and lead to changes in specific genes. These genetic changes can lead to abnormal cell growth and duplication and cause cancer.
- In other cases, excess PAH in the body leads to excess production of detoxifying enzymes (Cytochrome P450 enzymes). These enzymes convert PAH into a more active intermediary form that can lead to DNA damage and cancers.
While people can be exposed to PAHs by inhaling cigarette smoke, staying in places with high air pollution, and through occupation exposure, consuming smoked meat is a direct form of dietary PAH exposure.
When you cook fat-rich meat on an open fire, the fats and juices from meat splash on the fire and lead to smoke and flames. The PAH-rich smoke sticks to the meat, making the food carcinogenic.
A study analyzed the PAH content in different smoked foods. It was reported that meat smoked with natural wood had higher levels of carcinogenic PAHs than meat smoked using liquid smoke flavorings (artificial flavoring that can be used as a substitute for natural wood smoke).
According to the study, smoked salmon had a range of PAH/kg of 86.6mg, and cooked ham had 29.8mg/kg of PAH. On the other hand, smoked shrimp had a low PAH/kg value of 9.3.
How Does Smoked Meat Consumption Affect Breast Cancer Risk?
Excess consumption of smoked meat can increase the risk of developing different kinds of cancer, including breast cancer. Smoked meat consumption is also associated with an increased mortality rate in breast cancer survivors.
A long-term study identified 1508 women with invasive breast cancer in 1996 and 1997. These women were monitored for approximately 17.6 years. Among these women, 237 died because of breast cancer. Researchers analyzed the average smoked meat intake in these women.
Women who consumed an excess of smoked meat in this group had a 31% higher mortality risk.
According to the American Cancer Society, there are more than 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the country, including those still in treatment and those who have completed treatment. These women can increase their survival rate by limiting the consumption of smoked meat.
How Does Genetics Influence Breast Cancer Risk on Smoked Meat Consumption?
Changes in certain genes can increase or decrease a person’s risk for developing breast cancer on the consumption of smoked meat.
CYP1A1 Gene
The CYP1A1 gene (cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily A member 1 gene) helps produce the CYP1A1 enzyme, part of the cytochrome P450 family of enzymes (CYP 450). This enzyme helps eliminate a variety of drugs and chemicals from the body. It also plays a role in the bioactivation of PAHs, converting them into a more toxic intermediary that can cause cancer.
rs1048943 is a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP in the CYP1A1 gene. It is associated with breast cancer risk. The A allele of this SNP is associated with excess consumption of smoked meat and an increased risk of breast cancer.
| Allele | Implications |
| A | Higher risk of breast cancer with higher lifetime intake of smoked meat |
| G | Regular risk of breast cancer with higher lifetime intake of smoked meat |
CYP1B1 Gene
The CYP1B1 gene (cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily B member 1 gene) helps produce the CYP1B1 enzyme. This enzyme also plays a role in eliminating various endogenous (internally produced) and exogenous (externally produced) hormones, lipids, chemicals, and drugs.
rs 10175338 is an SNP in the CYP1B1 gene. It is associated with breast cancer risk. The T allele of this SNP is associated with excess consumption of smoked meat and an increased risk of breast cancer.
| Allele | Implications |
| T | Higher risk of breast cancer with higher lifetime intake of smoked meat |
| G | Regular risk of breast cancer with higher lifetime intake of smoked meat |
SULT1A1 Gene
The SULT1A1 gene (Sulfotransferase 1A1 gene) helps produce the SULT1A1 enzyme. This enzyme plays a role in the sulfation of many drugs and chemicals, including PAHs.
People with the SULT1A1 His/His genotype of the SNP rs1042028 of this gene had an increased risk of breast cancer from consuming excess smoked meat than those with the SULT1A1 Arg/Arg genotype.
Tips To Cook Meat The Healthier Way To Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
Try Alternative Cooking Methods
Grilling, barbecuing, and smoking are just a few of the different ways of cooking meat. There are other alternate healthier cooking methods:
- Pan-frying
- Stir-frying
- Roasting
- Baking
- Pressure cooking
- Steaming
Choose Low-Fat/Lean-Cut Meat
Choose lean-cut meat over fat-rich meat when you want to smoke, grill, or barbecue it. This way, excess fat will not drip over the fire and trigger smoke and flames. If you get a fat-rich portion of meat, you can trim the fat edges before cooking.Â
Some people also pre-cook meat before smoking it. This way, the excess fat is pre-cooked and does not drip down much.
Do Not Consume Blackened (Charred) Bits
Do not consume parts of the meat that are charred because of smoking. These contain the most amounts of PAH. You can trim the charred parts before you serve the meat on the table.
Use Thermometers To Avoid Overcooking
Overcooking is one reason why meat gets charred or overburnt while smoking or grilling it. Use a thermometer to immediately remove the meat from heat after it is cooked to avoid charring.
Include Fresh Fruits And Vegetables With Your Meals
Fresh fruits and vegetables have antioxidants that can prevent DNA damage and protect against cancers.
A 2019 study analyzed the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of breast cancer in 182,145 women aged between 27 and 59. The study proves that women who consumed more cruciferous and yellow/orange vegetables and fruits had a lower risk of breast cancer.
When you are occasionally eating smoked meat, include a large portion of fresh salad with the meal. The salad can make you partially full, prevent excessive meat consumption, and protect the body against cancers.
Summary
- Smoking is a popular cooking technique that exposes meat to smoke and slow cooks it for several hours. Smoking, grilling, and barbecuing can all make meat carcinogenic and lead to all kinds of cancers, including breast cancer.
- When fat from the meat drips on the open fire that it is cooked on, it triggers flame and smoke. The smoke contains Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are carcinogenic. Smoked meat can increase breast cancer risk in women and increase mortality risk in existing breast cancer survivors.
- Changes in the CYP1A1 gene, CYP1B1 gene, and the SULT1A1 gene can increase the risk of developing breast cancer in women who consume a higher lifetime amount of smoked meat.
- Choosing alternative ways of cooking meat, trimming the fat portions before cooking, preventing the charring of meat, and including fresh fruits and vegetables with your smoked meat meal can all reduce breast cancer risk.
References
- https://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/grilled_food
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3516139/
- https://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20170118/could-grilled-smoked-meats-lower-survival-after-breast-cancer
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5214623/
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170105212820.htm
