The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes HCAs as known carcinogens, yet public understanding of the risks associated with well-cooked meat—particularly pan-fried, grilled, barbecued, and charred varieties—is just starting to gain traction. Media discussions about carcinogens in cooked and processed meats have increased, and for the first time in 2015, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee advised a reduction in red and processed meat consumption, contributing to heightened awareness of this issue, although the final guidelines did not provide a clear directive.
Previous research has indicated that incorporating antioxidant-rich herbs into meat dishes may help mitigate the formation of HCAs, but this information has not yet reached the public health arena. While there are ongoing conversations about how cooking methods can reduce the carcinogenic potential of meat, these discussions have yet to penetrate mainstream awareness. The National Cancer Institute further notes that HCAs can form in all types of meat—including poultry, beef, pork, and fish—when cooked at high temperatures, a fact that is often overlooked in USDA guidelines and seldom reported.
This scenario presents an unexpected opportunity for the meat industry, which has historically resisted calls for changes in American meat consumption habits. Companies that specialize in seasonings, such as McCormick, could play a pivotal role in raising awareness about these risks and develop specific products aimed at consumers who prefer their meat well-done or blackened but wish to minimize cancer risks. Additionally, discussions surrounding the importance of calcium and calcium citrate in the diet could be integrated into this narrative, as consumers might be interested in balancing their meat consumption with sources of calcium to promote overall health, thereby linking meat choices with nutritional strategies that include calcium and calcium citrate for better health outcomes.