Extra persons are paying shut consideration to what they eat, typically monitoring energy, exercising every day, and filling their plates with meals that appear naturally wholesome, together with vegetables and fruit. But even nutritious meals can carry hidden chemical considerations. Some contaminants can enter meals from the surroundings, whereas others can kind throughout excessive warmth cooking strategies similar to heating, smoking, grilling, roasting, and frying.
Among the many compounds of concern are polycyclic fragrant hydrocarbons, or PAHs (hydrophobic natural compounds comprising a number of fused fragrant rings). Some PAHs are recognized for his or her most cancers inflicting potential, which makes dependable meals testing an essential a part of defending public well being.
A Hidden Meals Security Problem
Detecting PAHs in meals will not be easy. Standard extraction strategies, similar to stable part extraction, liquid liquid extraction, and accelerated solvent extraction, will be inexpensive, however they typically require prolonged preparation, heavy arms on labor, and chemical intensive procedures that aren’t ideally suited for employees or the surroundings.
To unravel these issues, scientists have been turning to a streamlined technique often known as QuEChERS (Fast, Simple, Low-cost, Efficient, Rugged, and Protected). The method is designed to hurry up pattern preparation, scale back chemical use, enhance restoration charges, and make meals contaminant testing extra sensible for routine security checks.
In a 2025 examine, researchers from the Division of Meals Science and Biotechnology at Seoul Nationwide College of Science and Expertise, led by Professor Joon-Goo Lee, used QuEChERS to measure eight PAHs (Benzo[a]anthracene, Chrysene, Benzo[b]fluoranthene, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, Dibenz[a,h]anthracene, and Benzo[g,h,i]perylene in meals. The findings had been revealed within the journal Meals Science and Biotechnology.
Quicker Testing With Robust Accuracy
The staff used acetonitrile to extract PAHs from meals samples, then examined a number of purification methods involving totally different mixtures of sorbents. The tactic was validated throughout a number of meals matrices, displaying robust efficiency. Calibration curves for all eight PAHs had R2 values above 0.99, indicating a extremely linear and dependable measurement system.
Additional evaluation utilizing gasoline chromatography and mass spectrometry confirmed that the boundaries of detection ranged from 0.006 to 0.035 µg/kg, whereas the boundaries of quantification ranged from 0.019 to 0.133 µg/kg. Restoration charges had been additionally robust, starting from 86.3 to 109.6% at 5 µg/kg, 87.7 to 100.1% at 10 µg/kg, and 89.6 to 102.9% at 20 µg/kg. Precision values stayed between 0.4 and 6.9% throughout all examined meals matrices.
The examine additionally reported that, among the many meals examined, the best PAH ranges had been present in soybean oil, adopted by duck meat and canola oil.
Prof. Lee explains, “This technique not solely simplifies the analytical course of but additionally demonstrates excessive effectivity in detection in comparison with standard strategies. It may be utilized to a variety of meals matrices.”
Why PAHs Matter
PAHs can kind when meals is uncovered to excessive temperatures or smoke. In line with the Nationwide Most cancers Institute, PAHs can develop when fats and juices from meat drip onto a sizzling floor or open flame, creating smoke that deposits these compounds onto the meals. PAHs may also kind throughout smoking and could also be present in sources similar to cigarette smoke and automobile exhaust fumes.
The NCI notes that PAHs and associated excessive temperature cooking compounds have brought on most cancers in animal research, though human inhabitants research haven’t established a definitive hyperlink between publicity from cooked meats and most cancers. This uncertainty is one cause extra correct measurement instruments are invaluable. Higher testing can assist regulators, researchers, and meals firms perceive the place contamination is happening and the way it may be decreased.
Newer Analysis Factors to Broader Use
For the reason that SeoulTech examine, different researchers have continued refining QuEChERS primarily based strategies for PAH detection. A 2025 examine in Meals developed a modified QuEChERS technique with a freeze out step and utilized it to 302 retail meals samples. That work discovered the best focus of 4 precedence PAHs in Kezuribushi, a smoked and dried fish product, and recognized grilled hen ft as a doable well being concern primarily based on the European Meals Security Authority margin of publicity method.
One other 2025 examine targeted on cereals and cereal primarily based merchandise. Researchers developed a modified QuEChERS technique utilizing Z Sep⁺ clear up and gasoline chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. In 96 cereal samples and 18 cereal primarily based merchandise from the Romanian market, solely chrysene was quantified in 17% of cereal samples, whereas no PAHs had been quantified within the derived merchandise.
Collectively, these newer findings recommend that QuEChERS primarily based approaches have gotten more and more helpful for various meals classes, from oils and meats to smoked merchandise and cereals. In addition they present why meals particular testing issues, since PAH ranges can differ extensively relying on elements, processing, cooking strategies, and environmental publicity.
Safer Meals Testing and Cleaner Labs
For the meals business, a sooner and extra environment friendly PAH testing technique may enhance security administration by making it simpler to examine merchandise earlier than they attain shoppers. The method may additionally scale back prices and enhance working circumstances by reducing down on time consuming procedures and limiting using hazardous chemical substances.
“Our analysis can enhance public well being by offering secure meals. It additionally reduces the use and emission of hazardous chemical substances in laboratory testing,” concludes Prof. Lee.
The broader takeaway is evident: meals security testing is turning into sooner, cleaner, and extra exact. By enhancing how scientists detect PAHs, strategies like QuEChERS may assist establish hidden contaminants, help safer meals manufacturing, and scale back chemical waste within the lab.
About Professor Joon Goo Lee
Joon Goo Lee is a Professor on the Division of Meals Science and Biotechnology, Seoul Nationwide College of Science and Expertise. He’s an professional in meals regulation and security evaluation. He served as a scientific officer at Korea’s Ministry of Meals and Drug Security and as a visiting researcher at FSANZ. He’s a member of the Nationwide Meals Sanitation Committee and an professional for the FAO/WHO JECFA. He additionally serves as the manager director of the Korean meals security societies. His analysis focuses on danger evaluation and the discount of contaminants in meals, contributing to science primarily based insurance policies and improved public well being.
