Earlier studies have shown that cooking meat increases its levels of chemical compounds called heterocyclic amines (HAs), which can cause cancerous tumors.

Recent research by Isabel Ferreira and colleagues at the University of Porto in Portugal revealed that marinating steak in red wine or beer for six hours before frying cut levels of two types of HA by up to 90 per cent compared with untreated meat.

Study also showed that beer was more efficient at reducing a third type of HA than wine, cutting levels significantly in four hours instead of six. It also made the meat look, smell and taste better than the wine-marinated steak.

It is believed that the alcoholic sauce cuts levels of the carcinogen by acting as a barrier - preventing water-soluble molecules moving to the surface of the steak where they would be turned into HAs by the high temperature.

Dr Kat Arney, senior science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "It may seem appetising to marinate steak in beer or wine, but this will have a minimal impact on the effect of the meat on your cancer risk and the best way to reduce your risk of cancer from eating red and processed meat is to eat less of it overall."