[Robotbeat]

Indeed. Any kind of burning or charring of food is causing really complex chemistry, and with organic molecules will likely produce aromatics, etc. (benzene is the prototypical aromatic and is present in cooking oil fumes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4029104/ ). I think about this a lot when we’re cautioned about the presence of extremely minuscule amounts of industrial chemicals, some of the same that are present in charred food.

[14]

What I find odd is usually our bodies are extremely good at warning us of a lot of dangers. Things that are bitter don’t eat. Things that smell very fowl maybe don’t want to eat. But barbecued food smell and taste so good with a slight char on the outside. Our senses let us down if they truly are bad for you.

[Robotbeat]

They’re not very bad for you, though. (Compared to, say, salmonella, as the other person said.)

The dose makes the poison.

[tedunangst]

Well, they're better for you than salmonella.