Health There are several studies dealing with cooking

By admin on November 16th, 2007

Health

There are several studies dealing with cooking and
health issues. The survey confirmed that cooking
fumes contain hazardous components in both Western
and Asian types of kitchens. In one study, the fumes
generated by frying pork and beef were found to be
mutagenic. In Asian types of kitchens, a high
concentration of carcinogens in cooking oil fumes has
been discovered. All this indicates that kitchen
workers may be exposed to a relatively high
concentration of airborne impurities and that cooks are
potentially exposed to relatively high levels of
mutagens and carcinogens.
Chinese women are recognised to have a high
incidence of lung cancer despite a low smoking rate
e.g. only 3% of women smoke in Singapore. The
studies carried out show that inhalation of carcinogens
generated during frying of meat may increase the risk
of lung cancer.

The risk was further increased among women stir-
frying meat daily whose kitchens were filled with oily
fumes during cooking. Also, the statistical link
between chronic coughs, phlegm and breathlessness
on exertion and cooking were found.
In addition to that, Cinni Little states, that three
quarters of the population of mainland China alone use
diesel as fuel type instead of town gas or LPG,
causing extensive bronchial and respiratory problems
among kitchen workers, which is possibly exacerbated
by an air stream introduced into the burner mix.