Nothing chills a summer cookout like yet one more study pointing to higher carcinogen levels in chargrilled meat.
But, as is often the case with a sputtering party, it’s beer to the rescue.
American Chemical Society researchers prepared pork for four hours in marinades containing Pilsner beer, non-alcoholic Pilsner beer and black beer.
After a good soaking, the meat was placed on a hot charcoal grill, cooked and measured for unfriendly hydrocarbons that form when meats are subjected to very high temperatures.
Tests have associated these molecules with cancer in laboratory animals, and scientists are trying to establish whether they are truly harmful to people.
High levels of hydrocarbons are also found in cigarette smoke and car exhaust fumes.
Studies that show how often diseases occur in groups of people can’t prove why diseases happen, but they have linked the frequent consumption of smoked and grilled meat with a high incidence of colorectal cancer.
With that in mind, researchers whipped up a basic marinade with sugar, onion, spices, oil, lemon juice and … of course … beer.
Black beer marinade reduced the levels of eight major bad hydrocarbons by more than half compared with levels in unmarinated pork, indicating it could be a good strategy to lower carcinogens.
The finding is consistent with studies that have shown that black beer, which is considered ale, has higher antioxidant content than Pilsner, which beer buffs classify as a lager.
The Pilsner beer marinades were not nearly as effective at reducing the hydrocarbon levels of the pork.
So if cutting carcinogens at the barbecue is your goal, add a little black ale to the marinade … and think of something else to do with the Pilsner.