Study: Charbroiled Burgers Emit More Crud than 18-Wheelers

RIVERSIDE, Calif. America's fast food joints probably aren't thrilled to learn about research conducted by the University of California, Riverside.

Researchers have found commercial charbroilers emit more particulate matter into the air such as combustion products than diesel engines.

Bill Welch, principal development engineer for the study at UC Riverside's Center for Environmental Research and Technology, declares "an 18-wheeler diesel-engine truck would have to drive 143 miles on the freeway to put out the same mass of particles as a single charbroiled hamburger patty."

The South Coast Air Quality Management District, an air pollution control agency in California, revealed five years ago that commercial cooking is the second-largest source of particulate matter in the South Coast Air Basin, University of California, Riverside pointed out.

But in spite of that fact, restaurant emissions are subject to few regulations, according to the doctoral research university, which is conducting a study on commercial cooking emissions.

Researchers are evaluating potential controls that could improve the air quality resulting from commercial cooking, including a device that removes grease from the exhaust and traps it in water.