Scientists develop gene-edited wheat that can make toasted bread less carcinogenic

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/07/crispr-gene-edited-wheat-toasted-bread-less-carcinogenic-acrylamide

154 points · 33 comments · view on lemmy.world

33 Comments

Broadfern@lemmy.world · 49 pts · 130d (2 replies)

Ah yes, the thing I’m most concerned about giving me cancer: toast.

Not the microplastics, environmental pollution or stress of living in the collapse of modern civilization 🫠 /s

PHLAK@lemmy.world · 24 pts · 130d (1 reply)

I know you're joking, but we can make progress on multiple fronts simultaneously.

fartographer@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 129d

No we can't. Quit trying to trick me with parallel thoughts!

yermaw@sh.itjust.works · 36 pts · 130d (9 replies)

On top of everything it turns out fucking TOAST is trying to give me cancer?

Fuck this gay earth

Kolanaki@pawb.social · 32 pts · 130d (2 replies)

Burnt shit causes cancer. Toasting can burn toast.

Rivalarrival@lemmy.today · 6 pts · 129d (1 reply)

Flavor causes cancer.

yakko@feddit.uk · 2 pts · 123d

The maillard reaction? More like the melanoma reaction

ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.zip · 18 pts · 130d (5 replies)

My not a scientist understanding is basically the general process of cooking makes things more carcinogenic but it's not by like a lot, unless you're charring the outside of a steak into carbon

acosmichippo@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 129d

cooking at temps high enough to burn food, yes. lower temp cooking like boiling or steaming does not burn food.

Tujio@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 130d (3 replies)

If you're burning a steak that bad, you deserve the cancer.

ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 129d (2 replies)

My favorite way to cook a steak is to cut crosshatches, pack it with pepper and salt, char the living fuck out of the outside, keep it basically raw in the middle. You can make a solid crust without overcooking it

::: spoiler Meaty Meats :::

Sylvartas@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 129d (1 reply)

I can't see the meaty meats. Did you set me up to say " show me your meaty meats, internet woman !" ?

Edit : oh I can see the url in the raw text. Nice meat.

ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 129d

And I've got more meat where that came from for anyone who can take it

aviationeast@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 130d

Welcome to Costco, I love you.

toast@retrolemmy.com · 8 pts · 129d

I think I'm losing my edge

protovala@lemmy.org · 6 pts · 130d (6 replies)
Jake_Farm@sopuli.xyz · 15 pts · 130d (3 replies)

So cooking food, the basis of our entire species, also gives us cancer. Fucking great.

jjagaimo@sh.itjust.works · 13 pts · 130d

Breathing in oxygen causes oxidative stress, hence antioxidants

Note that many things called antioxidants (e.g. whats in some fruits) are actually oxidizing but trigger your body's own antioxidant production mechanisms

AA5B@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 130d

But notice they also said there is no evidence toast makes a measurable contribution to this, so toast all you want.

Or what I really got out of it was

  • don’t burn your toast
  • don’t burn your potatoes
  • eat fewer chips

This is good advice in general though

cheese_greater@lemmy.world · -1 pts · 130d

We have to toast them get toasted or we'll dyyyy

kionay@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 130d

importantly, from that link:

"Overall, studies on acrylamide and cancer in humans show that the amounts of acrylamide we consume probably doesn’t increase the risk of cancer significantly. If you have a healthy, balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruit, pulses (such chickpeas) and wholegrains (such as brown rice), the amount of acrylamide you eat will be small."

flango@lemmy.eco.br · 3 pts · 130d

Damn, this site has some good looking recipes

https://www.wcrf.org/living-well/eating-well/recipes/pumpkin-soup/

Dragomus@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 130d (2 replies)

Just stop setting your normal bread on fire...
Ofcourse "normal" bread is already a chemically laden substance in the US, no wonder its extra carcinogenic when toasted.

acosmichippo@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 129d (1 reply)

a fraction of a percent of a couple preservatives (with wide safety margins) is hardly "chemically laden". that's just blatant emotionally charged language to push a naturalist agenda.

Food spoilage is a major issue, we need preservatives (in safe quantities) to keep food safe to eat as long as possible.

exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 129d

Not to mention, the acrylamide is formed from the amino acids naturally present in the grains, which is what this whole article is about.

frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io · 2 pts · 130d (2 replies)

Does it make the bread taste like shit? Because I don't give a fuck about toast carcinogens but if we're forced to accept safer bread that tastes weird I'm not buying it. Like that god awful Iron kids bread. Only people who hate children could conceive such a product.

acosmichippo@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 129d

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency. Supplementing like this is a massive benefit to society in quality of life and reduced healthcare costs, so I would not call people trying to reduce deficiencies kid-hating.

exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 129d

Does it make the bread taste like shit?

I would argue that toasting your bread to the point where there's significant acrylamide on it is making bread taste like shit to begin with.

Just don't burn your bread and you'll be fine.

reddig33@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 130d (1 reply)

I think I’d rather just risk it with normal bread. The additives and preservatives are probably worse for me than the toasty bits.

acosmichippo@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 129d

The additives and preservatives are probably worse for me than the toasty bits.

they are not.

gatohaus@eviltoast.org · 1 pts · 129d (1 reply)

There are people that have the time to toast their bread?!?

I must be doing something wrong.

some_kind_of_guy@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 129d

It's worth it to make time for small pleasures in life, like a fresh toast. No matter how busy life gets I won't let anyone take those things away.</real talk>

venusaur@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 129d

More worried about charring processed meat than toast. I don’t eat charred toast. I’ll eat charred hot dogs.