Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in Danish barbecued meat

- Formation of PAH in home-grilled, heat controlled and commercial barbecued meat.
- Daily intake of PAH4 from barbecued meat results in MOE values above 30,000.
- Frequent turning and controlled heating reduce the PAH4 concentration considerably.
- Genotoxic PAH distinguishes flame and coal barbecued meat from electric and gas.

Barbecuing is known to result in the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A validated method that employed pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) followed by solid phase extraction (SPE) on Silica and analytical determination by GC-MS was applied for the detection of 24 PAHs in barbecued meat. In total, 203 commercially barbecued meat samples (beef, pork, chicken, salmon and lamb) and 15 samples barbecued during controlled time and heat conditions were included. The sum of PAH4 (benzo[a]pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, chrysene and benzo[b]fluoranthene) was highest for a pork tenderloin (195 μg/kg) and lowest for chicken breast (0.1 μg/kg) and controlled barbecued meat (<0.1 μg/kg). A worst case scenario, assuming daily consumption of barbecued meat, revealed a margin of exposure (MOE) between 7080 and 8450 for PAH4, lowest for commercial products. Even though this is less than 10,000, which according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) would indicate a health concern for consumers, no consumer is believed to be exposed to these levels.