Last week we heard about
recall of valsartan, why valsartan has been recall? it's because valsartan contain NDMA, then
what is NDMA? NDMA is compound that potent cause cancer or in the other name its act as carcinogen, during this time you may have heard the term carcinogen. Very often people say that certain foods contain carcinogens, so you should limit their consumption because it can cause cancer. However, do you know what is actually a carcinogen?
Carcinogens are not only contained in food alone, but in fact many things around us that contain carcinogens. For more details, see the following explanation.
What is a carcinogen?
Carcinogens are things that can cause cancer, can be in the form of chemicals, viruses, or even drugs and radiation used to treat cancer itself. In essence, things that directly cause cancer can be called a carcinogen. In general, cancer is caused by a carcinogen or a combination of the carcinogens themselves.
Carcinogens can work in many ways, directly destroying DNA in cells, causing abnormalities in normal cells, and another way of causing cell damage that causes cells to divide faster, which in turn can lead to the development of cancer.
What are the examples of carcinogens?
Carcinogens have been classified into 3 groups by The International Agency for Research on Cancer. The classification consists of agents and groups of agents, mixtures, and environmental exposures.
Agents and agency groups, The example is:
Aflatoxin, is naturally produced by certain fungi
Arsenic compounds
Asbestos
Benzene
Benzidine
Nickel compounds
Solar radiation
Powder containing asbestiform fibers
Vinyl chloride, and others.
Mixed, The example is:
Alcoholic beverages
An analgesic mixture containing phenacetin
Tobacco products
Tobacco smoke
Wood powder, and others.
Environmental exposure, Examples such as:
Aluminum production
Making or repairing shoes and boots
Processing coal with coal gasification
Coke production
Making furniture
The formation of iron and steel
Rubber industry
Exposure to sulfuric acid in the work environment, and others.
In essence, these carcinogens can be found in chemicals present in your surroundings, environmental radiation (such as from sunlight), radiation from medical devices, viruses, drugs, and lifestyle factors.
These carcinogens are not certain to cause cancer in everyone who is exposed. The ability of carcinogens in causing cancer among individuals varies, depending on the amount of exposure, the duration of exposure, the health of the exposed individual, and other factors. The susceptibility of every person exposed to carcinogens in causing cancer also depends on heredity. Heredity plays an important role as a cause of cancer. In many cases, the incidence of cancer is caused by many factors that work together.
Carcinogens in food
Be careful, certain foods that you usually eat may also contain carcinogenic compounds. Recent studies have shown that processed meats contain carcinogenic compounds, which means they can cause cancer, especially colorectal cancer and stomach cancer.
Processed meat in question is meat that has been through the process of salting, preservation, fermentation, fumigation, or other processes aimed at improving taste and storage. Examples of processed meats are bacon, ham, sausage, salami, corned beef, and so forth.
This is because processed meat has the following content:
Meat processing, such as preservation (which adds nitrate or nitrite to meat) or fumigation, can lead to the formation of carcinogenic compounds, such as N-nitroso-compound (NOC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
This is exacerbated by the content of heme iron in meat, which can support the production of NOC in meat.
Cooking meat at high temperatures, such as frying or baking, can also trigger the production of carcinogenic compounds, such as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and PAHs. HCA is formed when the creatine and amino acids in the meat react to heat generated from the cooking process. HCA is one of the agents that can cause cancer.
Therefore, you should select red meat that is still fresh and cooked itself compared to processed meat cooked in the factory. You can also process the red meat by boiling or steaming rather than frying or burning which results in higher heat. This can make the meat you eat healthier.
In addition, balance your diet by eating vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits can reduce levels of DNA damage and oxidation of carcinogenic compounds, thereby reducing your risk of cancer.
