cooking temperature
Food safety risks associated with brain parasites such as brain worms (here & here), cancer-causing viruses, hepatitis E, and superbugs such as MRSA can be mediated with proper cooking though there are some bugs such as Salmonella and C. diff that are relatively heat-resistant (and there’s always a concern about cross-contamination). Even with thorough cooking, though, rare neurotoxins, more common toxins, and biogenic amines in seafood as well as prions and drug residues cannot be effectively cooked out of the meat. While it is often safest to cook meat properly, certain carcinogens are actually created when muscle is cooked.
Topic summary contributed by Peter Huntley.
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Watch videos about cooking temperature
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Fukushima and Radioactivity in SeafoodThe majority of radioactive fallout from the Fukushima nuclear power plant tragedy was absorbed by the Pacific Ocean. What does that mean for seafood safety?
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Avoiding Chicken To Avoid Bladder InfectionsHandling chicken can lead to the colonization of one's colon with antibiotic resistant E. coli that may result in bladder infections in women.
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Foodborne RabiesThe consumption of cat and dog meat may be playing a role in "massive human rabies epidemics" in Asia. (Some people may find some of the concepts and images in this video disturbing.)
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Cancer, Interrupted: Green TeaUsing the cooked meat carcinogen PhIP to turn normal breast cells cancerous, researchers explore the use of green tea to interrupt this malignant transformation.
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Heterocyclic Amines in Eggs, Cheese, and Creatine?Even vegetarians could potentially be exposed to the carcinogens typically formed by cooking meat through eggs, cheese, creatine sports supplements, and cigarette smoke.
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Reducing Cancer Risk In MeateatersThose who eat meat risk food poisoning from undercooked meat, but also exposure to cooked meat carcinogens in well-cooked meat. By boiling meat, non-vegetarians can mediate their risk of both.
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Uprooting the Leading Causes of DeathDeath in America is largely a foodborne illness. Focusing on studies published just over the last year in peer-reviewed scientific medical journals, Dr. Greger offers practical advice on how best to..
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Dead Meat Bacteria EndotoxemiaThe high bacteria load in raw or cooked animal foods and fermented foods may trigger an endotoxemic surge of inflammation that may be exacerbated by the presence of saturated animal fat.
