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A study led by the University of Birmingham revealed the triggering effects of cooking on health and atmospheric pollution.
A study observed how air-frying is safer than cooking.
Cooking is more than just a chore or a necessity – it’s a labour of love for many. The sensual rhythm between flavours, textures, and aromas, alongside the freshness of vegetables, protein-rich items, and more, often makes every moment in the kitchen a delightful experience. A major section of society loves to prepare dishes for their loved ones on their own. But what if, while you’re preparing a meal, it turns out that more than crafting a memory with the people, it is also harming your body? Quite alerting, right?
According to a recent study led by the University of Birmingham, cooking emissions account for up to 10 percent of particulate pollution in the atmosphere. Moreover, the emissions stay in the air for several days, which is the key reason for indoor pollution. In this situation, the person spending the most time in the kitchen preparing dishes is the most affected by them.
Christian Pfrang, a key author of the research, said, “Particulate matter exposure has demonstrated health impacts including respiratory diseases, increased risk of heart disease and premature death, especially for people with lung disease,” adding, “Because we spend much of our time indoors, it makes sense to try to reduce our exposure to particulate matter from cooking and other indoor activities.”
The study demonstrated ways in which cooking emissions are extremely harmful to health.
Two types of pollutants are released in the air when we cook: particulate matter (tiny airborne particles that cause lung issues, heart attacks, and premature death) and VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are gaseous chemicals that cause respiratory complications, headaches, and damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.
The researchers discovered that pan-frying was the worst cooking method for particulate matter, followed by stir-frying, deep-frying, boiling, and air-frying.
If pan-frying food, which releases particulate matter levels of around 93 micrograms per cubic meter, can be completely eliminated from the kitchen, it will help reduce pollution.
How to safeguard from the cooking hazards?
Boiling and air-frying are, thus, the safest cooking options. Study co-author Christian Pfrang told Yahoo Life that particulate matter for air fryers “were so low that they were hard to distinguish from background air,” adding, “This means that switching from pan frying and stir-frying to air frying will substantially decrease indoor air pollutant exposure.”
“Air fryers are typically contained systems, so while heating oil will create particles, most of those particles seem to deposit inside the air fryer before getting out of the air,” Delphine Farmer, an air pollution researcher and assistant professor in the chemistry department at Colorado State University, stated to Yahoo Life.
Moreover, while more oil has always been associated with increased health risks, the study observed that using more oil while cooking can actually distribute the heat more evenly, which significantly reduces indoor pollutants released into the air.
Another key factor is ventilation, which reduces indoor pollution. Delphine Farmar mentioned, “That’s a great way to bring in outdoor air — as long as it isn’t a smoggy or polluted day outside.” Cooking at lower temperatures, using oils with high smoke points, and staying below the smoking point is also linked to fewer air pollutants.
