On Food and Cooking

acid (vinegar) and other organic acids, thanks
to which the pH of smoke is a very microbe-
unfriendly 2.5. Many of the phenolic
compounds in wood smoke are also
antimicrobials, and phenol itself is a strong
disinfectant. The phenolic compounds are also
effective antioxidants, and slow the
development of rancid flavors in smoked
meats and fish.
In addition to antimicrobial compounds,
smoke also contains antihuman compounds,
substances that are harmful to our long-term
health. Prominent among these are the
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs,
which are proven carcinogens and are formed
from all of the wood components in
increasing amounts as the temperature is
raised. Hot-burning mesquite wood generates
double the quantity that hickory wood does.
The deposition of PAHs on meat can be
minimized by limiting the fire temperature,
keeping the meat as far as possible from the