On Fri, 16 Oct 1998, Mahesh wrote:

> Singh and Fraser believe their findings ``suggest the presence of factors in
> all meats that contribute to colon carcinogenesis.'' Those carcinogenic
> factors remain largely undetermined, although the researchers suspect that
> the byproducts of cooking, or ingredients used in curing and salting, may
> play some role. The researchers also suggest that the consumption of
> high-fiber legumes may help dilute the concentration (and effect) of
> meat-derived carcinogens within the colon.

I have read the hypothesis that heterocyclic amines, a by-product
of cooking, are the carcinogens.  For some reason these are
especially concentrated in cooked chicken.  As for legumes, there
is a theory that certain bean lectins actually bind to the cancer
cells and agglutinate them.  It's all pretty conjectural still,
however.

Todd Moody
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