Potential chemical hazards linked to meat processing
Résumé
Abstract Within meat products, chemical reactions induced by transformation processes can lead to the formation of process-induced toxicants. These formations, which depend mostly on the process conditions, can impact the food safety of meat products. Although process-induced toxicants are generally found in trace amounts in meat products, their regular consumption throughout life could ultimately contribute to the development of certain pathologies (diabetes, cancers, neurological disorders, etc.). Often generated by consumers during the domestic preparation of food, the assessment of exposure levels and therefore of the risks associated with their ingestion is complex. At present, very few process-induced toxicants from meat products are regulated (benzo[a]pyrene, and 4 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Recent advances in reaction chemistry and food processing now allow a better understanding of these compounds, their conditions of formation and open the way to solutions to mitigate them.