Cooking with an air fryer has shown health benefits that are not related to food.

Previous studies have shown that cooking releases a substantial amount of tiny solid particles and volatile organic compounds into the air, with high concentrations potentially harmful to health. German and British researchers conducted an experiment to identify the safest cooking method in terms of environmental pollutant emissions among five different cooking techniques.

2024-11-29 10:00:19https://naked-science.ru/article/medicine/gotovki-v-aerogrile

The experiments were conducted at the University of Birmingham (UK), in a specialized kitchen-laboratory equipped with necessary measuring instruments and an induction cooktop. The room had no windows or doors leading outside, and the forced ventilation and exhaust were turned off during the experiments to prevent them from significantly affecting air quality.

The researchers tested five methods of cooking chicken breast: frying it in a regular pan, deep-frying, stir-frying in a wok (a deep pan used in Asian cuisine), cooking in an air fryer, and boiling. Throughout the process, scientists monitored the concentrations of fine particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The results indicated that frying in a regular pan caused the highest level of air pollution in the kitchen: the concentration of fine particles was 92.9 micrograms per cubic meter of air, while the VOC concentration was 260 parts per billion. Deep-frying resulted in 7.7 micrograms per cubic meter and 230 parts per billion, while stir-frying in a wok yielded 26.7 micrograms per cubic meter and 110 parts per billion.

Surprisingly, boiling was expected to have the least negative impact on air quality; however, it turned out that this method emitted more fine particles and VOCs than cooking in an air fryer. When chicken breast was boiled in a pot on the induction cooktop, the concentration of relevant pollutants was 0.7 micrograms per cubic meter and 30 parts per billion, compared to 0.6 micrograms per cubic meter and 20 parts per billion for the air fryer.

“The level of air pollution when cooking is influenced by other factors, including the amount of oil used and the temperature of the stove. However, it can be confidently stated that ventilating by opening windows and using exhaust systems will help disperse harmful particles and reduce their impact on humans,” said Professor Christian Pfrang, one of the authors of the new study, in a comment to the Daily Mail. The article was published in the journal Indoor Air.

Previous research has shown that high concentrations of pollutants in indoor air can lead to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, respiratory system and vision pathologies, respiratory infections, and asthma attacks. They also increase the risk of cancer and mortality, especially among vulnerable populations.

The scientists recommended continuing to ventilate the kitchen and not turning off the exhaust ventilation even after cooking, as pollutant particles remain in the air for some time and can spread throughout the house.