Cancer-Causing Risks Found in Singed Meats; Study Urges Safer Practices

Roast steak beaf on grill.

A groundbreaking study conducted jointly by the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, has raised serious health concerns regarding the presence of cancer-causing substances in meats singed using various fuel sources. Published in Environmental Health Insights, the study reveals that meats singed with tyres contain alarmingly high levels of harmful polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including the particularly dangerous Benzo[a]pyrene.

These chemicals are known to increase the risk of cancer. Researchers, led by Prosper Manu Abdulai of the University of Port Harcourt, tested 180 samples of cattle and goat meat singed using firewood, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and tyres across Ghana’s major cities: Kumasi, Accra, Koforidua, Tamale, and Ho.

The results showed that tyre-singed meats had the highest PAH levels, while meats singed with LPG had the lowest, making LPG a safer alternative to traditional fuels like firewood and tyres. The study emphasizes the need for strict regulations to curb the use of tyres for meat singeing.

It advocates imposing penalties for non-compliance and encouraging the adoption of safer methods, such as LPG, to protect public health. “The stakeholders should have something to do at the abattoirs so that all of them will use the LPG,” recommended Abdulai.

This research underscores the urgent need for awareness and policy changes to ensure the safety of consumers and minimize the health risks associated with meat preparation practices.