Sessions

Heat treatment is one of the most commonly applied food processing technologies, which makes food safer and more palatable, but at the same time may lead to the formation of potentially carcinogenic compounds such as acrylamide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heterocyclic amines (HCAs). These pose a particularly high risk to children and adolescents, who represent a sensitive group, as their dietary exposure is relatively higher compared to adults due to their lower body weight. However, experience shows that these risks are often not recognized, therefore I aimed to investigate the dietary habits and risk perception of 10–18-year-old students in relation to heat-processed foods.

To this end, I conducted a questionnaire-based survey among consumers of school canteens. The questions addressed students’ dietary preferences (e.g., degree of doneness, preparation methods of different foods) as well as their opinions regarding health risks. Data analysis included frequency, mean and standard deviation calculations, analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square tests, and Spearman’s rank correlation.

A total of 588 questionnaires were returned, of which 563 were valid and evaluable. The results showed that students preferred chicken legs and French fries cooked to a darker degree, while toast was mostly preferred medium, and breaded meat rather lightly cooked. Significant differences were found in the preferred doneness levels across foods (ANOVA; p<0.001). French fries were preferred fried in oil by 43.7% of respondents, while 53.8% preferred breaded meat prepared in this way. In total, 76.9% of participants stated that cooking methods influence health, although nearly half remained uncertain about the harmful effects of darker cooking. Chi-square and correlation analyses revealed weak but significant associations between cooking preferences and health risk perceptions.

The findings highlight that a proportion of students tend to favor darker-cooked foods, which in the long run may increase dietary exposure to toxic compounds formed during excessive heat treatment. Although most respondents acknowledged that cooking methods can influence health, awareness remains insufficient. The results of my research emphasize the responsibility of public catering to apply safer, gentler cooking technologies, as well as the importance of education and awareness-raising to help young people better recognize the risks associated with heat-processed foods.