Barbecue is a widely enjoyed cooking style around the world, especially during special occasions, holidays, and celebrations. Meat lovers have a particular fondness for barbecue, especially when it comes to beef, pig, veal, lamb, mutton, and goat. These meats have the remarkable ability to be transformed into burgers, steaks, and kebabs. Their popularity is not only rooted in their versatility, but also in their important role in the culinary customs of many nations. Moreover, the barbecue fame of red meat can also be attributed to its abundant supply of essential nutrients, especially protein and iron.
Despite the nutritional advantages offered by red meat in general, numerous studies have indicated that ingestion of grilled meat, as well as direct skin exposure to fumes generated while barbecuing, as well as inhalation of these fumes, can expose people to carcinogenic substances, increasing the risk of several types of cancer, including colon, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. Heterocyclic amines (HCAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and myoglobin N-nitroso compounds (NOCs) are the primary carcinogenic compounds responsible for such health risks.