Grilling increasingly elaborate foods is becoming a way of spending time for many. The fashion for grilling marshmallows over a campfire has gained popularity in Poland due to foreign cartoons. "Marshmallows" are popular not only in the US, Australia and New Zealand, but also in Europe. Currently in Poland there is a noticeable increase in the consumption of grilled marshmallows, especially among children and teenagers. Marshmallows are a confectionery product (one of the earliest sweets known to mankind) consisting of sugar, water, gelatin and additives such as hen's egg whites, coloring and flavoring, whipped to a spongy consistency and formed into small cylindrical pieces coated with cornstarch, available in many markets ready for grilling. In addition, young people, as well as their parents, who want to make their kids happy, have plenty of recipes and instructions on the Internet, including on YouTube "how to grill marshmallows?"
The Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, SUM in Katowice has been conducting research on the harmfulness of grilled foods for years. The aim of the research of recent years, among others, conducted by dr. Maciej Maciejczyk under the supervision of Prof. dr. hab. n.med. and n. o zdr. Krystyna Tyrpień-Golder and Dr. Beata Janoszka was the identification and determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in grilled marshmallows, as well as the assessment of children and adolescents' awareness of their effects on the body. The obtained results were presented at the 13th Polish Chromatography Conference in Katowice, of which SUM was a co-organizer.
- Unfortunately, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their heterocyclic derivatives are formed during the heating of many food products, including marshmallows. These compounds are formed as a result of pyrolysis and subsequent pyrosynthesis of foam components such as sugars, amino acids, dyes and with the involvement of free radicals, says Prof. Krystyna Tyrpień-Golder.
The cytotoxic effect of isolated extracts from grilled marshmallows has been confirmed by research conducted in cooperation with the Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sosnowiec, SUM, led by SUM Prof. Joanna Gola, PhD. Consuming them after such "processing" may have adverse health effects due to their proven mutagenic and carcinogenic effects.
Procedure for isolating carcinogenic fractions Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from variously grilled marshmallows was a multi-step process. PAHs are taken in by our body along with heat-treated food!
Most importantly !
"Raw" marshmallows did not contain PAHs, while the profile of their concentrations in extracts isolated from grilled marshmallows is very similar, independent of the grilling method. The results obtained suggest high exposure to carcinogenic PAHs by adolescents and children who frequently eat grilled marshmallows.
Higher concentrations of PAHs were determined in colored oven-grilled marshmallows than in campfire. In addition, colored grilled marshmallows are more cytotoxic than white marshmallows and contain more PAHs.
- The lack of public awareness of exposure to harmful substances, including carcinogens, formed in heat-treated foods including grilled marshmallows is worrisome, so serious consideration should be given to banning the sale and distribution of marshmallows ready for grilling, Prof. Tyrpien-Golder adds.
Source: SUM
