Comparative survey of PAHs incidence in Portuguese traditional meat and blood sausages

Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in representative traditional sausages produced in “Trás-os-Montes” and “Alentejo”, were determined. Light PAHs represented similar overall contents in both regions and showed close decreasing order patterns (ACY, PHE, FLR and NAP), irrespective of the product type considered. Amongst the carcinogenic/mutagenic PAHs analyzed (PAH8), both regions also had greater contents associated to BaA and CHR, with slightly higher values for the former compound in “Alentejo” and, oppositely, for the later in “Trás-os-Montes”. However, their quantitative comparison showed that the general mean total PAH content found in “Trás-os-Montes” was almost 3-fold higher than in similar products from “Alentejo” and this factor was about 8-fold superior when the PAH8 and PAH4 indicators were compared, expressing benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalencies (BaPE), 15 times (total mean toxicity), 34 times (PAH8) and 9 times (PAH4) higher. In general terms, the mean BaP content of all analyzed samples from “Alentejo” was 0.41 μg kg−1. Differently that value in “Trás-os-Montes” reached 3.57 μg kg−1, expressing concerning average contents of 5.35, 5.87 and 4.51 μg kg−1 in Chouriço de Carne, Moura and Salpicão sausages, respectively.

► Blood sausages showed higher total Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contents than meat products. ► Amongst the carcinogenic PAHs, both regions had greater contents of B(a)A and chrysene (CHR). ► Products with higher fat content showed the highest mean total PAH contents. ► The benzo[a]pyrene content in products was higher in Trás-os-Montes region.