Jean-Louis Tu wrote:

> The reactions which are merely speeded up by an elevation of
> temperature may be harmful too: if the body is able to cope with 0.1
> mg/day of a certain chemical compound, and cooking produces 10 mg,
> what will happen?

> Thanks Jean-Louis for your comments. I enjoy your posts and your analytical thinking.

I was pleased to see a news item on The PointCast Network that shows the
scientific community is beginning to get smart about cooking and
Maillard's molecules. It said "High Cancer Risk In Well-Done Meat." In
the International Journal of Cancer (1997;71 14-19), lead author Dr. Mary
H. Ward said "We found about a three-fold increased risk for stomach
cancer in people who consumed well-done beef." They said it was the first
study known to them that has shown any association between eating
well-done meat and stomach cancer. In explaining the risk they pointed to
chemical substances called HCAs(heterocyclic amine) and other heat
related compounds such as polycyclic hydrocarbons, which produce tumors
in the GI tracts of lab animals. HCAs cause cancer in animals and trigger
cellular mutations. High intake of gravy which can contain HCAs increased
the risk.

Good news that scientists are looking at this.. Ellie