In my earlier blogs and podcasts on my website I discussed the nature of free radicals- how they are produced and/or generated and the role they play in diseases and pathologies especially atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, cataracts, as well as in the aging process itself.
The next time you stop at one on your favourite fast food outlets- like the drive in to pick up that hamburger with french fries or that hotdog from one of the street kiosks do you ever reflect on how these fast food vendors prepare these items ? Most procedures involve 3 components- heating to high temperatures of proteins and/or fats usually on a barbecue, an oven or in a basin of oil. This triad ensures the production of large amounts of free radicals. Many fast food outlets may also use oils that remain heated for long periods and in some cases even reheated oils which can further increase free radical production. Furthermore because many customers prefer the taste of darker french fries the vendors satisfy their customer’s addictions by exposing their fries for longer periods in the oil basin generating even more free radicals.
Although tests are available to assess the amount of free radicals in our foods I am not aware that our food and drug department do inspections and or testing for the presence and/or production of free radicals by such fast food stores.
Since many scientists especially gerontologists rank free radical pathology ahead of the germ theory of disease for the pathogenesis of human diseases such screen testing could have a significant impact in reducing the incidence of degenerative diseases especially in our older population .
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