How are heterocyclic amines (HCAs) form from cooking and how do we avoid this cancer-causing, adduct-forming agents? Giving up steak is NOT an option. (It is a series of aldol condensations, dehydrations, oxidations, and cyclizations, which can be minimized by steam cooking or pressure cooking with antioxidant herbs. The art is to maintain temperature high enough to give you a yummy crust, but too low to induce the above listed reactions. High pressure of water vapor also keeps dehydrations under control. The carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic compounds are especially easily formed from steroid hormones that could be given to the animal to accelerate its growth, or could be produced by the animal’s body when it is under stress and abused. Nature has its ways for fighting back. - GS).