Does this mean I should eat pig organs raw?
A non-human sialic acid sugar molecule common in red meat increases the risk of tumour formation in humans. Now researchers from the UC Davis School of Medicine and Xiamen University School of Medicine have found that the chemical is not only prevalent in pig organs but its concentration actually increases as the organs are cooked.
This research suggests that the chemical, Neu5Gc, may pose a health hazard among those who regularly consume pig spleen, lungs, heart, kidney and liver. The risk of Neu5Gc toxicity is particularly high in China and other countries where people tend to consume large amounts of organ meat.
The human immune system identifies Neu5Gc as a foreign threat and produces antibodies to counter it. If these meats are regularly consumed, chronic inflammation can result and this can lead to increased risk of tumour formation. Neu5Gc has also been linked to cancer, cardiovascular and other inflammatory diseases, including some bacterial infections.
The UC Davis and Xiamen University study has been published in Glycoconjugate Journal.
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