Smoked fish is a favorite of many. For its taste and bright aroma it is appreciated all over the world. Gourmets do not stop the information about the health hazards of smoked meats. Around the topic of the effect of smoked fish on the body goes a lot of controversy.
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Smoked Fish Harm
Smoking has long been a known way of keeping food fresh. Nowadays, such processing is more often aimed at giving the fish new taste. It is important to know that smoking methods vary, and this affects the final product.
So, with cold smoking, pre-salted fish is treated with smoke substances. The temperature of the steam does not rise above 20-25 ° C. This type of smoking is quite long - it often takes up to several days. However, it is in the case of cold smoking that we can talk about the relative harmlessness of the finished fish.
When hot-smoked, the temperature of the smoke used to process fish can reach 120 ° C. For this reason, the delicacy becomes ready to eat very quickly - in just a few hours. But the fee for quick and fairly simple cooking is high - the fish smoked with hot smoke contains the most harmful carcinogens.
The smoke that processes fish contains about a thousand chemicals. The most dangerous of them is benzpyrene.
Liquid smoke smoking is another danger. In fact, this is not smoking a product, but only its coloring and aromatization with chemicals. Unscrupulous sellers often resort to this method of smoking, as it allows them to significantly reduce the cost of production. The composition of "liquid smoke" in large quantities contains toxic phenol, seriously undermining health.
In Europe, there are clear standards for concentrations and allowable doses of food additives. It is much more difficult to meet low-quality smoked fish there.
Finally, stale fish is often selected for smoking, and a violation of the smoking rules can lead to parasites or bacteria remaining in the finished product. And, of course, smoked fish contains a lot of salt, which is especially harmful for those with kidney problems, children and pregnant women.