Are Cooking Fumes Harmful to Your Health?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential health impacts of cooking fumes, particularly in relation to allergies, carcinogenic compounds, and the effects of different cooking methods. Participants explore various aspects of cooking, including the types of oils used, the temperatures at which food is cooked, and the implications of cooking on health and nutrition.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern that cooking fumes may enter the bloodstream and cause allergies, referencing studies on the health effects of cooking fumes.
  • Others argue that the risks associated with cooking fumes may be less significant than those posed by urban pollution, suggesting that cooking at home is relatively safe.
  • There are suggestions to use high smoke point oils for frying to mitigate fume production, with recommendations for specific types of oils based on their smoke points.
  • One participant discusses the complexity of food allergies, noting that cooking can alter the allergenic properties of certain proteins, but does not fully resolve the question of how cooking fumes might contribute to allergic reactions.
  • Concerns are raised about the production of acrylamide and other carcinogenic compounds during high-temperature cooking methods, with a call for safer cooking practices.
  • Some participants highlight the evolutionary benefits of cooking, such as improved nutrient absorption and pathogen reduction, while acknowledging the potential downsides of certain cooking methods.
  • There is mention of specific carcinogens formed during high-temperature cooking, such as heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, with references to their mutagenic properties.
  • A participant shares a personal decision to stop eating BBQ due to health concerns related to cooking methods.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the health implications of cooking fumes, with no clear consensus on whether cooking is harmful or beneficial. Some agree on the potential risks of certain cooking methods, while others emphasize the positive aspects of cooking.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various studies and articles, but the discussion remains open-ended regarding the specific health impacts of cooking fumes and the mechanisms involved in allergies and carcinogenesis.

  • #31
russ_watters said:
Good lord, no! I'm pretty sure that's illegal in the US too!

Um...do you know the difference between smoke and fog? If the food isn't brown or black, or there is visible water in the pan, it's fog (condensed water vapor), not smoke. There's no such thing as "normal smoke". Smoke = bad.

My suggestion is you buy yourself an infrared thermometer. That will tell you conclusively if you have a risk of turning your oil or vegetables into smoke. I use mine almost every day.

Here is a thermal camera perspective of it.

received_238853020473305.jpeg


This is the stove.

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Here is stove and pan

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After just turning it on at low setting.

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At medium to high settings..all coils are engaged.

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In the middle of the pan is a thermal spot. Manual mentions "The THERMO-SPOT turns solid red when the pan is perfectly preheated and ready to cook"

received_559838921295310.jpeg


notice the patterns at the perimeters is gone in the following when the pan is heated enough (ignore the color changes because it was just my camera lighting setting but notice the patterns surrounding it is gone.

received_1078055505926427.jpeg


But notice when the patterns are gone. And I used my thermal camera with emissivity setting of 0.95. The temperature of the pan is 205 degrees C

received_129449211810695.jpeg


And the temperature of the oil is 194 degrees celsius.

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Allow me to ask the following questions based on the above data.

1. What material is used in the pattern at center of pan that can chance color? What is the + and - temperature accuracy when it activates? What temperature it activates?

2. Based on the visible photo of the pan. Is the 0.95 emissivity setting of it ballpark?

3. Notice the temperature of the pan is about 205 degrees celsius when the thermal-spot becomes solid red. I wonder how accurate is the 205 degrees C value.

4. Let's say the pan is really 205 Celsius. What temperature does it bestow to the oil? Or what would become of the temperature of the oil? (also 205 celsius or less?) (I know the thermal camera may not be scanning the oil itself but part of the metal and oil. Right now. I don't have access to a thermometer, only a thermal imager so please share what you think is going on (with regards to emmisivity, the pan temperature and the relationship of the temperature of the pan and oil)).

Thank you!
 

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