Long before gas and propane barbecues were developed and stretching far back in history, man has always cooked food on an open flame. Initially it was wood but then we started to use charcoal briquettes in our barbecues. But how safe is charcoal grilling?
Aside from the obvious concerns such as carbon monoxide poisoning, so you should never use your grill indoors or in enclosed areas are there any health risks from particulate matter that would be released from the charcoal? Is the smoke bad for your health and the environment?
Both wood, and charcoal burn dirty - this means that they release tiny soot particles that can be a danger to those with heart and lung problems. This soot is also bad for the environment. The other side effect of using wood or charcoal is that grilling meat can produce two types of carcinogens - PAH (or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and HCA (heterocyclic amines).
According to the ACS (American Cancer Society) PAHs form when fat from meat drips onto the charcoal briquettes. This rises with the smoke and can be deposited onto the food. PAHs can also form directly on the food as it is charred.
To quote an article "HCAs can also form on broiled and pan-fried beef, pork, foul and fish, not just on grilled meats. In fact, National Cancer Institute researchers have identified 17 different HCAs that result from cooking muscle meats and that may pose human cancer risks. Studies have also shown increased risk of colorectal, pancreatic and breast cancers associated with high intakes of well done, fried or barbequed meats.".
In Canada charcoal briquettes are now considered a Hazardous Product and fall under the HPA (Hazardous Products Act) which means that charcoal briquettes in bags that are advertised, imported or sold in Canada must display a label warning of the potential hazards of the product.
While there may be dangers associated with charcoal grilling, an alternative is to use natural charcoal.
Noram de Mexico's Sierra Madre manufactures a 100% oak hardwood charcoal that contains no coal, oil, limestore or other additives. This product is also certified by the Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program as sustainably harvested. There are other manufacturers of natural charcoal, such as Greenlink and Lazzari. Their products can be found at natural food outlets across North America.
While no extensive research could be found on the health hazards related to charcoal grilling, since many people are conscious about their health and taking better care of the environment it is better to use products that lessen the potential risks to health.
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