For additional Healthcare News visit our Breaking News Archive. This occurs from the reaction of the amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, and creatine, a chemical found in muscles, at these high temperatures. Research has identified 17 HCAs that result from cooking muscle meats that pose a potential cancer risk to humans. The four factors that influence HCA formation include type of food, cooking method, temperature, and time. HCAs are only found in muscle meats.
Temperature is the most important factor in the formation of HCAs.
Frying, broiling, and barbecuing produce the largest amounts of HCAs because the meats are cooked at very high temperatures. Oven roasting and baking are done at lower temperatures so lower levels of HCAs are likely to form. Further, stewing, boiling, or poaching are done at very low temperatures over a longer period of time, so negligible amounts of the chemicals are likely to form. Studies have shown that meats microwaved prior to cooking by other methods helps to decrease the amount of HCAs. One study showed that meats that were microwaved for two minutes prior to cooking, had a 90 percent decrease in the amount of HCA present.