Scientists develop gene-edited wheat that can make toasted bread less carcinogenic
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/07/crispr-gene-edited-wheat-toasted-bread-less-carcinogenic-acrylamideOpen linkView original on sh.itjust.worksSyndicated from the fediverse. Read and engage on the original instance.
View original on sh.itjust.workshttps://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/07/crispr-gene-edited-wheat-toasted-bread-less-carcinogenic-acrylamideOpen linkView original on sh.itjust.works
33 replies
Ah yes, the thing I’m most concerned about giving me cancer: toast.
Not the microplastics, environmental pollution or stress of living in the collapse of modern civilization 🫠 /s
I know you're joking, but we can make progress on multiple fronts simultaneously.
No we can't. Quit trying to trick me with parallel thoughts!
On top of everything it turns out fucking TOAST is trying to give me cancer?
Fuck this gay earth
Burnt shit causes cancer. Toasting can burn toast.
Flavor causes cancer.
The maillard reaction? More like the melanoma reaction
My not a scientist understanding is basically the general process of cooking makes things more carcinogenic but it's not by like a lot, unless you're charring the outside of a steak into carbon
cooking at temps high enough to burn food, yes. lower temp cooking like boiling or steaming does not burn food.
If you're burning a steak that bad, you deserve the cancer.
My favorite way to cook a steak is to cut crosshatches, pack it with pepper and salt, char the living fuck out of the outside, keep it basically raw in the middle. You can make a solid crust without overcooking it
::: spoiler Meaty Meats :::
I can't see the meaty meats. Did you set me up to say " show me your meaty meats, internet woman !" ?
Edit : oh I can see the url in the raw text. Nice meat.
And I've got more meat where that came from for anyone who can take it
Welcome to Costco, I love you.
I think I'm losing my edge
https://www.wcrf.org/preventing-cancer/topics/burnt-food-acrylamide-and-cancer/
So cooking food, the basis of our entire species, also gives us cancer. Fucking great.
Breathing in oxygen causes oxidative stress, hence antioxidants
Note that many things called antioxidants (e.g. whats in some fruits) are actually oxidizing but trigger your body's own antioxidant production mechanisms
But notice they also said there is no evidence toast makes a measurable contribution to this, so toast all you want.
Or what I really got out of it was
This is good advice in general though
We have to
toast themget toasted or we'll dyyyyimportantly, from that link:
"Overall, studies on acrylamide and cancer in humans show that the amounts of acrylamide we consume probably doesn’t increase the risk of cancer significantly. If you have a healthy, balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruit, pulses (such chickpeas) and wholegrains (such as brown rice), the amount of acrylamide you eat will be small."
Damn, this site has some good looking recipes
https://www.wcrf.org/living-well/eating-well/recipes/pumpkin-soup/
Does it make the bread taste like shit? Because I don't give a fuck about toast carcinogens but if we're forced to accept safer bread that tastes weird I'm not buying it. Like that god awful Iron kids bread. Only people who hate children could conceive such a product.
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency. Supplementing like this is a massive benefit to society in quality of life and reduced healthcare costs, so I would not call people trying to reduce deficiencies kid-hating.
I would argue that toasting your bread to the point where there's significant acrylamide on it is making bread taste like shit to begin with.
Just don't burn your bread and you'll be fine.
Just stop setting your normal bread on fire...
Ofcourse "normal" bread is already a chemically laden substance in the US, no wonder its extra carcinogenic when toasted.
a fraction of a percent of a couple preservatives (with wide safety margins) is hardly "chemically laden". that's just blatant emotionally charged language to push a naturalist agenda.
Food spoilage is a major issue, we need preservatives (in safe quantities) to keep food safe to eat as long as possible.
Not to mention, the acrylamide is formed from the amino acids naturally present in the grains, which is what this whole article is about.
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they are not.
There are people that have the time to toast their bread?!?
I must be doing something wrong.
It's worth it to make time for small pleasures in life, like a fresh toast. No matter how busy life gets I won't let anyone take those things away.</real talk>
More worried about charring processed meat than toast. I don’t eat charred toast. I’ll eat charred hot dogs.