Short-Term Health Outcomes of Cooking UFP Exposure
Starting soon · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Cognitive Function Decline, Air Pollution Exposure, Respiratory Inflammation
In brief
This study examines the short-term respiratory and cognitive effects of exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) generated during typical household cooking. Healthy adults will complete two 6-hour sessions in a controlled exposure chamber at the University of Illinois Chicago: one control day with clean indoor air and one exposure day during which standardized cooking (frying potatoes and grilling beef) is performed by research staff. Participants will not cook or handle food. Lung function will be measured using peak expiratory flow (PEF), and cognitive performance will be assessed using validated tests including the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised and the Processing Speed Index from the WAIS-IV. Airborne particle and gas concentrations in the chamber will be continuously monitored to ensure that exposures remain within levels typical of everyday home cooking. Findings will help characterize acute physiological responses to indoor cooking emissions and inform future research on indoor air quality and potential mitigation strategies.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT07311967
- Run by
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- People needed
- 15
- Starts
- 2026-01-02
- Expected to finish
- 2026-06-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-12-31
Who can join
Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Adults 18 years of age or older
- Able to understand and speak English sufficiently to complete cognitive testing
- Able and willing to complete two consecutive study sessions lasting approximately 6 hours each
- Able to avoid cooking, toasting, and fume-generating household activities (e.g., strong cleaning products, ironing, hair drying) for 24 hours before each session
- Able to avoid tobacco, marijuana, vaping, and alcohol use as specified in the study protocol
- Able to provide informed consent
You may not qualify if…
- Younger than 18 years old
- Pregnant or planning pregnancy during study participation
- Current smoking or use of:
- Cigarettes
- E-cigarettes or vaping devices
- Marijuana
- Shisha/hookah
- Binge drinking, heavy alcohol use, or inability to abstain from alcohol for 24 hours before study visits
- Restaurant chefs or individuals who perform frequent commercial-level cooking
- Individuals who cook two or more frying or grilling meals per day at home
- Cooking anxiety or mageirocophobia
- Any diagnosed neurological disease, including stroke, seizure disorder, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, dementia, or similar conditions
- Any significant respiratory disease, including:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Untreated severe asthma
- Chronic bronchitis or other major lung disease
- Any significant psychiatric condition, including:
- Schizophrenia spectrum disorder
- Untreated substance use disorder
- Severe mood disorder
- Severe anxiety disorder
- Claustrophobia or anxiety in enclosed spaces (if severe enough to interfere with chamber procedures)
- Inability to comply with study procedures or safety requirements
- Any medical or psychological condition that, in the judgement of the investigators, may increase risk or interfere with study participation
Where it is running
- UIC — Chicago, Illinois, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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