In recent years, the air fryer has become a highly sought-after household kitchen appliance. However, recent widespread information suggesting that "food cooked in an air fryer can cause cancer" is causing considerable confusion among consumers.
According to a report from China Central Television (CCTV), professor Pham Chi Hong of the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, stated that substances believed or suspected to cause cancer, which people are concerned about, are actually produced after ingredients are heated to a certain temperature.
In fact, the formation of these substances has no absolute connection to whether you use a conventional pot, an oven, or an air fryer.
The expert also confirmed that consuming food cooked at high temperatures does not automatically lead to cancer. If consumption is low, there is no need for excessive worry. However, prolonged consumption of excessively browned or even charred food will certainly increase the risk of cancer.
Essentially, an air fryer functions like a convection oven, utilizing hot air. A continuously circulating stream of hot air removes moisture from the food's surface, making the exterior dry and crispy. Consequently, compared to traditional deep-frying methods, an air fryer requires only a very small amount of oil, or even no cooking oil at all, to cook food.
Therefore, dishes prepared with an air fryer have a lower fat content and produce less oil smoke, which means the cancer-causing substances present in oil smoke are also significantly reduced.
Professor Pham Chi Hong further pointed out that if the ingredients already contain fat, the air frying process helps to render out some of this fat. Thus, from the perspective of limiting the absorption of oil and fat, air fryers certainly offer a distinct advantage.
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Air fryers do not cause cancer as rumored. Illustration: Asianinspirations
To minimize the formation of harmful substances during cooking, experts offer the following important recommendations:
Cleaning the appliance and controlling food size: Clean any leftover food residue clinging to the interior of the air fryer before cooking, and avoid cutting ingredients too small.
Lowering temperature and cooking time: Proactively choose a temperature and heating time lower than the ingredients' usual recommended levels.
Furthermore, the more charred the food becomes, the more harmful substances are produced. Home cooks can effectively control heating time by observing changes in the food's color.
My Y (According to HK01)
