Dietary exposure to meat-related carcinogenic substances: is there a way to estimate the risk?

N-Nitroso compounds (NOCs), heterocyclic amines (HCAs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAs) are examples of carcinogenic substances, which are formed during cooking and processing of meat. Many researches suggest that high consumption of meat is positively associated with increased risk of some cancers. The majority of the researches are of epidemiological nature and, therefore, provide only associations related to population exposure to diet-related carcinogenic substances. The individual's exposure risk may be estimated by using food frequency questionnaire and analytical methods. However, there is a lack of methods which enable estimation of the risk concerning particular meat meals. The purpose of this paper was to summarize and emphasize the importance of factors influencing the formation of carcinogenic substances in meat during cooking.