Concentration, dietary exposure and health risk estimation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in youtiao, a Chinese traditional fried food

Youtiao, or oil stick, is a typical, traditional and widely-consumed fried food in China. The concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in youtiao from different origins was determined. The dietary exposure and cancer risk associated with benzo[a]pyrene equivalents from youtiao consumption were estimated using Monte Carlo simulation. Analysis of 16 PAHs in youtiao was completed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Concentrations of the sum of 16 PAHs were between 9.90 and 89.97 μg/kg. The sum concentrations of PAH4, including benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), chrysene (Chr), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), ranged from 1.41 to 26.56 μg/kg. The median dietary exposure of BaPeq concentrations from youtiao for children, adolescents, adults and seniors in China, were 0.0147, 0.0101, 0.0561 and 0.0106 ng/(kg·day), respectively. Health risk estimates expressed as the 95th percentile incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCRs) with respect to PAHs indicated a slight potential carcinogenic risk for children in northern China and adults in both the north and south.