Ruthvik Yaparla

The Overlooked Contribution of Cooking Methods' Release of Particulate Matter to Respiratory Risk Exposure: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Started Jan. 3, 2024

Abstract or project description

Objective: Many governmental regulations exist around ambient(outdoor) air quality. However, most of these policies only persist until a civilian’s doorstep. Indoor air quality(IAQ) is often unregulated, which is a concern because people spend a daily average of 21.6 hours indoors versus the 2.4 hours they spend outdoors. The World Health Organization(WHO) states that “Nearly 3.2 million people die prematurely each year from diseases caused by household air pollution.” However, there is a significant lack of research regarding household and indoor air pollution compared to ambient air pollution. This Systemic Review and Meta-analysis investigates commonly used cooking methods, their impact on respiratory health, and the gaps in current literature. Methods: After a total of 1912 duplicate records were excluded, 416 studies were screened. 354 of them were excluded based on title and abstract. 62 reports were sought for retrieval and screened. 13 studies were used, excluding studies from external sources. Results: The mean PM1 emission concentrations were calculated to be 139.55µg/m³ and 58.8µg/m³ for pan-frying and toasting, respectively. As for PM2.5 emissions, all 8 selected cooking methods had enough data to be considered for statistical analysis. Deep-frying had the greatest mean PM2.5 emission concentration of 841µg/m³, followed by stewing with a mean concentration of 573µg/m³, stir-frying with a mean concentration of 558.615µg/m³, roasting with a mean concentration of 461.375µg/m³, pan-frying with a mean concentration of 234.26µg/m³, boiling with a mean concentration of 132µg/m³, toasting with a mean concentration of 72.1µg/m³, and steaming with a mean concentration of 40.4µg/m³. Finally, for PM10, the mean emission concentrations from greatest to least were as follows: deep frying with a mean concentration of 1192µg/m³, roasting with a mean concentration of 736.99µg/m³, pan-frying with a mean concentration of 198.45µg/m³, and toasting with a mean concentration of 105.1µg/m³. Conclusion: A preliminary understanding was reached regarding the types and concentrations of PM from these cooking methods. Their effect on respiratory health was assessed by gathering data from studies that reported associations with cardiovascular disease, lung function, and prevalence of carcinogenic compounds. The need for further research regarding emissions from specific cooking methods and appliances, especially air fryers, was identified.