INDOOR AIR POLLUTION: HOW COOKING CAN DAMAGE YOUR DNA

From roast dinners to scented candles, there are potentially harmful pollutants lurking in every home

- HAYLEY BENNETT

Every year, there are questions and comments about the undesirable health effects that result from the festive tradition of roasting giant pieces of meat. Most of us, however, probably think these centre on what they can do to our waistlines, instead of our DNA by breathing in what our ovens are pumping out.

As recent research from Denmark has highlighted, cooking particularly roasting and the burning of candles can damage your DNA. It’s a study that adds to a growing body of science examining the effects of indoor air pollution that comes from a huge number of sources.

So, what are these contributors to poor air quality, and what can we do about them? According to Nicola Carslaw, professor in indoor air chemistry at the University of York, there are a lot of chemicals that could be a problem. In fact, a recent project she was involved with counted more than 900 substances of concern. Obviously, you can’t possibly think about 900 different chemicals in your average home,” she says. So probably the most sensible way to do it is to think about sources.”

There are certainly a lot to consider, with everything from painting and decorating products, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, and beauty products like nail varnish possibly containing these chemicals. Burning fuels in hearths or on stoves and candles produce one of the main types of pollutant: particulate matter, which is a mixture of dirt, soot and chemicals all stuck together.

Then there are volatile organic chemicals VOCs). These are a large group of airborne chemicals that can be released from building materials and new furniture, as well as from cooking and consumer products. And, of course, outdoor pollution can always creep inside.