– OPINION –
A common food safety method to prevent food poisoning is to heat the food to a temperature that kills bacteria and serve the food warm. We love hot food and enjoy the aroma that fills the air with a mouth-watering appeal. Unfortunately, hot food also poses a risk to food safety, as consuming food that is too hot is also a known cause of cancer.
It’s amazing that the temperature where people like to drink their coffee or tea is also the temperature that can cause esophageal cancer.
But before you get all worked up about the need to cool down, let’s look at the facts. According to a 2010 article in the International Journal of Cancer entitled: High temperature drinks and foods and the risk of esophageal cancer – a systematic review,
“In this systematic review, we collected the published literature on the association between consuming tea, coffee, mate or other high-temperature drinks or foods and the risk of EC (oesophageal cancer). We analyzed the results for the amount consumed and the temperature of the drink separately. For tea and coffee, there was little evidence that the amount consumed was associated with EC risk, but the majority of publications reported statistically significant increased risks associated with a higher temperature of use. For mate, individual studies and the combined analyzes showed an increased risk of EC associated with both the quantity consumed and the temperature of drinking, and these two appeared to be independent risk factors. For other hot foods and drinks, the majority of studies showed a higher risk of EC associated with a higher service temperature.”
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in The Lancet, in a 2016 article entitled: Carcinogenicity of drinking coffee, mate and very hot drinks,
“Although the mechanistic and other relevant evidence for very hot drinks is scarce, there is biological plausibility for a link between very hot drinks and cell damage and the ten consequences that can lead to cancer. Based on these considerations and the totality of the evidence, drinking very hot drinks above 65 degrees Celsius was classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A).”
As a reminder, 65 degrees C is equal to 149 degrees F. Foods and drinks at this temperature and higher are hot enough to cause burns in the esophagus, which can lead to cancer. However, the temperature at which food should be served is very close to this. There is even an article on the Chef Resource website: At what temperature should hot food be served?which explains,
“It’s a common concern among hosts and chefs alike: At what temperature should hot food be served to ensure both safety and enjoyment? Serving hot food correctly is essential as it not only ensures that it is safe to consume but also optimizes its taste and texture. To answer the question directly: **hot food must be served at a minimum temperature of 60 degrees Celsius**. This temperature ensures that any harmful bacteria are killed or rendered inert, reducing the risk of foodborne illness.”
Of course, some dishes are served hotter. Pizza arrives at the table at a temperature of about 90 degrees Celsius, which can damage gums and teeth. We all know what it feels like in the gums behind your front teeth after eating a hot, melting cheese pizza.
Coffee and tea are also consumed hotter than the temperature that causes cancer, which is hot enough to be painful. According to a 2018 study in Foods magazine, titled: What temperature of coffee exceeds the pain threshold? Pilot study of a sensory analysis method as a basis for cancer risk assessment,
“Since 2016, the cancer risk associated with hot beverage consumption has come under increasing scrutiny from both scientists and consumers. The reason for this is the classification of “very hot drink consumption” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in group 2A as “probably carcinogenic to humans”. In concrete terms, the risk of developing esophageal carcinoma increases with the consumption of very hot drinks, as shown by a number of epidemiological studies. Drinks above 65 degrees C are considered “very hot”. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) rates “very hot (greater than 65 degrees Celsius) drinks” as probably carcinogenic to humans. However, there is a lack of research into which temperatures consumers actually experience as ‘very warm’ or ‘too warm’. A method for sensory analysis of such threshold temperatures was developed. The participants were asked to mix a very hot coffee step by step into a cooler coffee. Therefore, the coffee to be tasted was gradually increased in temperature during the test. The participants took a sip with each addition until they deemed the drink too hot for consumption. The protocol was evaluated in the form of a pilot study among 87 participants. Interestingly, the average pain threshold of the test group (67 degrees Celsius) and the desired drinking temperature (63 degrees Celsius) were around the IARC threshold for carcinogenicity.’
What do coffee connoisseurs say about the ideal temperature of coffee? According to the website Home Grounds, in their article, The ideal coffee temperature: how hot should your coffee be?,
“According to the National Coffee Association of the USA, which informs many major companies in the food and beverage industry, coffee should be served at a temperature of approximately 180 degrees to 185 degrees F, not much lower than the standard brewing temperature. However, many coffee experts believe that this is too high a temperature.
They suggest serving coffee somewhere in the range of 155 to 175 degrees F, leaning more towards the lower end of the scale with higher quality coffee beans. The assumption that lower temperatures are better for specialty coffee fits in well with what we already know: that you can use temperature to reveal or mask coffee flavor.
While there is no one answer that everyone agrees on, there are some useful guidelines that can help you find the perfect temperature for your cup of coffee or espresso:
If you prefer the round, sweet and bitter notes of coffee, stay within the range of 155 degrees to 175 degrees F.
If you like a brighter, sharper, and more acidic cup, aim for the 120 degree to 140 degree F range.
If you care more about the warming feeling of hot coffee than the taste, then a cup in the 180 degree 185 degree F range is best for you.
Keep in mind that they recommend temperatures well above the dangerous carcinogenic limit of 65 degrees Celsius or 149 degrees F.
What’s a food lover to do? Do you have to give up your piping hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate during those cold nights? Or is there a way to have your hot cake and eat it too?
Here are a few suggestions:
- Allow hot foods to cool for about 5 minutes before consuming them.
- If the food or drink is too hot, spit it out. Don’t swallow.
- Take smaller sips of hot drinks.
- Even if you don’t want to eat the food too hot, make sure you heat or reheat the food or drink to more than 160ºC to kill bacteria. Then let the food sit for a few minutes before consuming it.
- Remember that your mouth, teeth and gums are burned first, and worse than the esophagus, because that is where the food is hottest. It also burns the tongue and taste buds, reducing pleasure and taste perception.
- People can withstand heat better in the mouth than in the hands. But just to be safe: if it’s too hot to handle, it’s also too hot for your mouth.
- Hot food essentially cooks your mouth and throat. This also harms oral bacteria.
- Keep in mind that daily habits, such as drinking cups of hot coffee or tea, have cumulative effects. Over time, the daily assault on your mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach with hot foods will take its toll.
- We only really focused on esophageal cancer. It is likely that hot foods will also contribute to mouth, throat and stomach cancer.
- Remember that heat is carcinogenic. Consume it with caution.
Cooking food is a culturally defined activity and our bodies are not designed to consume food at high temperatures. But with a little patience and a willingness to eat and drink a little less steamy food, you can enjoy the benefits of a tasty, hot meal without getting burned.
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