My project is: Can marinating chicken before grilling reduce the amount of carcinogens? Carcinogens are essentially substances capable of causing cancer. Two examples of carcinogens are heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are simply chemicals formed when meat is cooked at very high temperatures. I think if I marinate the chicken breast before grilling it will reduce the amount of carcinogens in the meat because I learned in my biology class about proteins denaturing or removing acids. The other day I was watching my mom prepare chicken for dinner and she marinated the chicken in lemon juice. As I was looking at it, I noticed that the edges of the chicken breast had turned white. I wondered if this denaturation process could prevent the formation of heterocyclic amines to decrease the cancer risk from grilled chicken breast. Carcinogens are substances capable of causing cancer. When a cell's DNA changes, cancer occurs. Not all carcinogens directly affect DNA, but cause cancer in other ways. An example would be that carcinogens could increase the likelihood that DNA changes will occur if the carcinogens cause cells to divide at a faster rate than normal. Exposure to carcinogens will not always cause cancer. There are many ways to be exposed to very common carcinogens, such as ultraviolet light, radon, pollution, and workplace or home exposures, but not all of them lead to cancer because they have “different levels of carcinogenic potential”. . After prolonged and high levels of exposure, certain carcinogens can cause cancer. That's right... middle of paper ... cook the meat. Black pepper is now an interesting spice because it is produced from the unripe, still green drupes of the pepper plant. To form black pepper, these drupes are briefly soaked and cooked in hot water to clean them and prepare them for drying. During drying, the cell walls of the pepper break down due to the heat. This breakdown accelerates the work of the browning enzymes during drying. The seeds shrink and darken to a black, wrinkled coating when the drupes are dried in the sun or even by machine. This drying process can take several days. Then, by crushing the berries, the pepper essence and oil can be extracted. In conclusion, when you marinate chicken breasts before grilling, I believe you will be able to reduce the amount of carcinogens. Preventing cancer by taking small steps will result in a happier, healthier and longer life..