PORTO, Portugal—Scientists at the University of Porto in Portugal have found that marinating steak for six hours in red wine or beer before frying or grilling it reduced levels of two types of heterocyclic amines—carcinogenic compounds more commonly known as HCAs—by up to 90% compared with untreated meat.
The researchers hypothesized the alcohol prevents water-soluble molecules from moving to the surface of the steak, where they would be turned into HCAs at high temperatures.
Beer was more effective than wine at reducing a third type of HCA, cutting levels significantly in just four hours, the researchers said.
