Diabetogenic property of charred meat on litters of pregnant albino rats.

Intake of nitrosamine-rich food has been implicated in the pathogenesis of childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus. The present study therefore examines a possible relationship between consumption of charred meat, rich in nitrosamine in pregnancy and the corresponding development of type 1 diabetes in litters. Determination of blood glucose and serum insulin levels in litters showed percent charred meat related increase in the mean blood glucose values of 64.1 +/- 1.39 mg/dl compared with the mean control value of 53.8 +/- 3.78 mg/dl and a corresponding reduction in the mean serum insulin values of 2.0 +/- 0.43 microU/ml compared with 5.8 +/- 0.29 microU/ml in the control [P < 0.05]. There were no significant changes in the mean blood glucose level and serum insulin level among the corresponding pregnant rats, hence, no evidence of diabetes mellitus. These results suggest that meat, when subjected to charcoal fire roasting may be hazardous to the foetus and a causative factor in the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus in the litters.