SBIR-STTR Award

Since barbecued foods are increasingly popular both at home and in restaurants, such foods present an elevated health risk to the population from carcinogens found in such products. Barbecued foods are well-known to be higher in carcinogens than foods prepared by alternative cooking methods. Consequently, there is an urgent need for better grilling technology to lower the cancer risk of these foods. The main objective of this research will be to develop a new barbecue grilling technology that lowers the carcinogens in the final product. Grill design tests will be monitored by bioassays and chemical analysis to quantitate the reduction in carcinogens. The population is not likely to use a grill that gives a radically altered flavor and appearance. Therefore, the final test of such a grill would be a normal flavor and appearance as judged to taste panels. The grill would be designed to maximize organoleptic allure, while minimizing the carcinogen exposure to the consumer. Preliminary basting solutions will be formulated to lower carcinogenicity and to make the product more flavorful.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research:Design of a safer form of grilling or flame broiling will facilitate the production of such equipment to the retail and commercial market. Successful formulation of basting solutions would reduce the level of carcinogens in grilled products. Such technologies would lead to commercial and retail use.National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Barbecued foods are increasingly popular both at home and in restaurants. Such foods present an elevated health risk to the population form carcinogens produced in them as compared to alternative cooking methods. Consequently, there is an urgent need for better grilling technology. Phase I research proved that the Safe-grill met the goals of greatly reducing carcinogens while improving organoleptic quality as measured by taste panels. In phase II, the research will consist of cost reduction engineering, optimizing the grill for use with other fuels and developing clearing systems. Foods will be evaluated, and the final designs developed for various sized grills. Heterocyclic amines will be verified and quantitated by using mutagenicity testing, HPLC and GLC methods. The grill will be optimized to maximize organoleptic allure, while minimizing at the carcinogen exposure to the consumer to the extent possible in Phase II. The grill price is targeted at 150% of a standard grill. The first grill upgrade units will be sold in 1995.National Cancer Institute (NCI)