Unleash your inner grill master. Marinate your meat. Marinades make food tastier, juicier and tender, according to the Association for Dressings & Sauces. Plus, new research shows that marinating meat in antioxidant-rich spice blends can reduce the risk of suspected cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAas). HCAs are produced in meat that has been cooked at high temperatures. Barbecuing meat produces the most HCA’s.

Marinades typically contain flavorings, spices, and herbs. Because a marinade is also acidic it carries these flavors into foods. When selecting a marinade, look for flavor that will complement the food you are marinating.

Researcher J. Scott Smith, a professor of food science at Kansas State University, says that marinating meat with marinades rich in spices is a good way to dramatically reduce the formation of HCAs. His research was published in the current issue of the Journal of Food Science.

In Smith's study, three purchased commercial marinades (Caribbean, Southwest and herb) were tested on fresh eye of round beef steaks.  The marinades contained two or more spices from the mint family that are high in the antioxidants. Steaks marinated in the Caribbean blend had the most decrease in HCA levels—88% decrease. The herb blend reduces HCAs by 72%, and the Southwest blend reduced the levels by 57%.

The researchers did say that since the marinades also contained maltodextrin and/or modified starch ingredients or salt that HCA could have been reduced to some extent due to these ingredients’ role in water retention.

When marinating, follow these directives:

• Use 1/4 to 1/2 cup of marinade for each 1 to 2 pounds of meat, poultry, seafood, fish, or vegetables. Marinades penetrate about 1/4 inch into the surface of the food. 
• Use heavy plastic food-storage bags or nonmetal containers for marinating. Glass and plastic don’t react with acidic liquids in the marinade (such as vinegar, wine, or lemon juice). 
• Marinate the food, cover it, keep it in the refrigerator (not at room temperature) for 15 minutes to 2 hours or longer, and turn the food occasionally to evenly distribute the marinade.
• To tenderize meat, marinate it for up to 24 hours (after 24 hours, the texture of the meat may become mushy). Marinate fish only for 15 to 30 minutes to prevent mushiness.
• Don’t use the same marinade used on raw food as a sauce while cooking—always use a fresh batch to keep contamination at a minimum.

In addition to marinating meats, there are other ways to reduce HCA risk. James Felton, associate director of the University of California, Davis, Cancer Center, has these suggestions: