Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Iranian Kebabs

The presence and amount of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in four types of commonly consumed well-done grilled meat (Kebab) in Tehran restaurants. The main goal was to assess the hazard potential of grilled meat prepared in Tehran restaurants and to determine the contributions of fuel and meat types on concentrations of PAHs in Kebabs. Based on the results, the total PAHs concentration was in the range from 7.37 to 17.94 μg kg−1. The differences in PAHs concentrations were found to be significant between charcoal and gas-grilled samples as well as between different meat types. The highest and lowest concentrations of PAHs were detected in charcoal grilled chicken wings and gas grilled chicken meat respectively. Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), one of the main indicators for the occurrence of PAHs in food, was detected in all the samples in the range of 0.28-5.81 μg kg−1. In addition, four samples exceeded the maximum acceptable limit for BaP established by the European Commission.