The community is debating the idea that consuming charred meat presents a real risk of developing various cancers due to the presence of chemical compounds formed by cooking at very high temperatures.

noli's read

The formation of heterocyclic amines (HAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during the charring of proteins is a documented chemical fact. Studies on animal models (mice/rats) confirm toxicity at massive doses, often thousands of times higher than standard human exposure. However, epidemiological data in humans remain complex and do not establish a direct and definitive causal link, mainly due to the difficulty of isolating the specific impact of cooking from other lifestyle factors. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recognizes the genotoxic potential of these compounds, but highlights the absence of a quantified risk threshold for habitual human consumption. The community is divided: some favor absolute caution, while others believe the risk is exaggerated by the media in relation to the quantities actually ingested. There is a moderate consensus that intense charring is technically a source of concerning compounds, but that the direct extrapolation from animal models to humans is often overinterpreted.

the sources

1. 1r/ScientificNutrition