heterocyclic amine

noun

|Updated on: 13 Jul 2018

Definition of heterocyclic amine

: an amine containing one or more closed rings of carbon and nitrogen; especially : any of various carcinogenic amines formed when creatine or creatinine reacts with free amino acids and sugar in meat cooked at high temperatures

Recent Examples of heterocyclic amine from the Web

The rub: Cooking meat at high temperatures over an open flame to create that great grilled flavor also creates cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs).

— andrea thelen, ms, Detroit Free Press, "6 tips for healthy and safe grilling," 9 July 2018
Grill like a pescatarian Cooking most meat at temperatures above 300°F can produce potentially cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), according to the National Cancer Institute.

— jamie ducharme, Time, "4 Ways to Make Grilling Healthier This Summer," 1 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'heterocyclic amine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of heterocyclic amine

1984

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

heterocyclic amine

noun

medical Definition of heterocyclic amine

: an amine containing one or more closed rings of carbon and nitrogen; especially : any of various carcinogenic amines that are formed when creatine or creatinine reacts with free amino acids and sugar in meat cooked at high temperature —abbreviation HCA