> Sodium nitrate is a raging carcinogen if you char grill it. I don't think that's unique to sodium nitrate. http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2519/doe

> Sodium nitrate is a raging carcinogen if you char grill it. I don't think that's unique to sodium nitrate. http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2519/does-barbecuing-cause-cancer http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2519/does-barbecuin... > Sulfur dioxide can cause problems in some people. Right, and gluten does a real number on the (relatively few) people with celiac disease; gluten is a naturally-occurring protein that is perfectly healthy for most people, so we can't judge a chemical entirely by what it does to some people.