Sunlit Kitchens: UBC Finds Singlet Oxygen Exposure During Cooking

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UBC researchers have revealed the presence of singlet oxygen indoors for the first time through a meticulously prepared feast ().

Indoor Singlet Oxygen Exposure: Implications for Health and Cooking Practices

Singlet oxygen, recognized as an oxidizing agent, can have both advantageous and detrimental effects. For instance, ozone in the stratosphere is a beneficial example. However, in the context of indoor environments, singlet oxygen exposure poses risks to lung health, potentially leading to the onset of conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease over time.

‘Cooking under sunlight releases singlet oxygen, potentially affecting health. #indoorairquality #kitchensafety #medindia’

The act of cooking food can release brown carbon molecules, which, upon absorbing light, have the capacity to generate oxidants. Furthermore, chefs exposed to cooking emissions face an increased risk of chronic diseases.

Historically, it was thought there wasn't enough light indoors to have much reactive chemistry, but there are many light sources in modern kitchens.

Indoor Cooking and Singlet Oxygen: The Impact of Sunlight

UBC researchers thought if all the right ingredients were in place-namely, cooking in a lit area-they might find singlet oxygen indoors where it had never been detected.

They investigated by cooking three meals representing breakfast, lunch and dinner: pancakes, Brussels sprouts, and vegetable stir fry, sampling the air and exposing it to three different types of light: UV, sunlight, and fluorescent.

They detected singlet oxygen at around the same concentration for all three dishes. However, its highest concentration occurred in sunlit experiments, meaning naturally lit kitchens likely see more of this oxidant.

The COVID-19 pandemic has helped raise public awareness of indoor air quality.

The researchers recommend ventilation and air filtration in kitchens to reduce exposure to aerosols while cooking.

"Our next steps include determining just how this oxidant might affect humans and how much we're breathing in when we cook. Could it play a role in some cooking-related diseases?" said senior author Dr. Nadine Borduas-Dedekind, UBC chemistry assistant professor.

Reference:

1. Scientists cook pancakes, Brussels sprouts and stir fry to detect an oxidant indoors for the first time - (https:phys.org/news/2024-05-scientists-cook-pancakes-brussels-fry.html)

Source: Medindia