Scientists discover cancer-causing chemicals hidden in everyday foods. They reveal these chemicals hidden in many common foods, especially those cooked at high temperatures.
While a new technical advance shows that a rapid food safety test could make it much easier to detect hidden cancer-causing chemicals in grilled and processed foods.
The research shows that foods exposed to high-temperature cooking methods, such as grilling, frying, smoking and frying, may contain harmful chemicals.
The compounds, known as PAHs, can form during cooking or enter food through contamination, raising concerns about long-term health risks.
It happens when people pay close attention to what they eat, often track calories, exercise daily, and fill their plates with foods that seem naturally healthy, including fruits and vegetables.
But still ignore the fact that even nutritious foods can carry hidden chemical problems as some contaminants can enter food from the environment, such as fruits and vegetables exposed in local environments.
Among the most harmful chemicals are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs (hydrophobic organic compounds comprising multiple fused aromatic rings). Some PAHs are known for their carcinogenic potential, making reliable food testing an important part of protecting public health.
In 2025, this research was initiated by the Department of Food Science and Biotechnology of Seoul National University of Science and Technology, which introduced a new method, “QuEChERS” (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe), to evaluate the process and detect chemicals in everyday foods.
