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# Cooking with spices/herbs prevents toxic chemicals in cooked meat
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/meat_safety_spices_herbs_toxicity_0309150709/
- Published: 2015-03-09T20:07:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T14:32:05.000Z
- Description: A new study confirms that polyphenols from spices and herbs lower the concentrations of thermally induced toxic chemicals, and raise antioxidant levels, during the Maillard browning reaction that occurs when meat is cooked at high temperature.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Chemical, Food Safety, #vivvo-import

It has been known that cooking meat at high temperature can lead to the development of cancer-causing agents. Early studies have shown that adding spices/herbs can reduce the formation of toxic chemicals during the cooking of meat.

A new [study ](http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2014/fo/c4fo00996g?ref=foodconsumer.org#!divAbstract)confirmed that using polyphenols found in spices and herbs can lower the concentrations of thermally induced toxic chemicals and increase the concentrations of antioxidants during the non-enzymatic browning reaction or Maillard reaction, which occurs when meat is cooked at high temperature. Maillard reaction leads to the formation of both harmful and beneficial chemicals, carcinogens and antioxidants.

Remember to use some spices and or herbs when you cook meat. It can not only reduce toxic chemicals, but also increase the nutritional value (antioxidants).