Influence of different smoke generation methods on the contents of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and phenolic substances in Frankfurter-type sausages

- Frankfurter-type sausages were smoked, using different smoke generation methods.
- GC/MS analysis of PAH and phenolic compounds of smoked sausages.
- Smouldering smoke with high smoke density leads to the highest PAH contents.
- Steam smoke leads to low PAH contents and high concentrations of phenolic compounds.
- Friction smoke is the smoke generation method with the lowest contents of PAH and phenolic compounds.

The contents of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (15 + 1 EU priority PAH) and phenolic substances (guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, syringol, eugenol, and trans-isoeugenol) in smoked Frankfurter-type sausages were investigated depending on the smoke generation method applied in a total of 63 smoking experiments. The smoke was generated by smouldering with different air supplies (smouldering smoke), by leading overheated steam through wood chips (steam smoke), by friction of a log (friction smoke), and by heating plates (touch smoke). The type of smoke generator had a noticeable influence on the contents of PAH and phenolic compounds. The highest mean content of PAH4 (2.6 μg/kg) was observed for sausages when intensive smouldering smoke was applied, the lowest (0.3 μg/kg) in friction-smoked sausages. The highest mean sum content of the five phenolic compounds was observed for sausages smoked with steam smoke (45 mg/kg) whereas the contents in friction- (15 mg/kg) and touch- (18 mg/kg) smoked products were relatively low.