Green Glossary: Mutagen

The standard definition for a mutagen is and "agent that causes a permanent genetic change in a cell other than that which occurs during normal genetic recombination." In an environmental sense, mutagens are studied for their effects on human and other animal populations. "The genetic effects of these chemicals (mutagens) in isolation or in mixtures is only just now beginning to be understood through the utilization of new methodologies recently developed in medical science and molecular genetics," writes Dr. Michael Easton. "The endocrine disrupters, endocrine mimics, genetic diseases such as cancer and other factors all can have an impact on the fitness of a population and ultimately its genetic structure."

Betsy Hornick and Eric Yarnell at HowStuffWorks.com explain that mutagens "can set off sudden changes in a cell's genetic makeup, creating potentially cancerous compounds. Whenever you brown food, mutagens may form. The more well-done your meat is, the more mutagens you are likely to consume. Because these mutagens don't form until meat is at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for a significant time, rare or medium-rare meat is not affected. Any high-temperature cooking method, such as grilling, broiling, and pan-frying, used for meat, poultry, and fish can cause a type of carcinogen called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) to form."

Of course, the easiest way to avoid mutagens is to stop eating meat.