title: Investigation into the formation of PAHs in foods prepared in the home to determine the effects of frying, grilling, barbecuing, toasting and roasting.
abstract: The effects of frying, grilling, barbecuing, toasting and roasting on the formation of 27 different PAHs in foods were investigated. A total of 256 samples from in-house cooking experiments were produced. There was little evidence of PAH formation during the grilling, frying, roasting and toasting experiments. Comparison with the raw materials used in the experiments showed little or no increase in PAH concentrations for all of the sample types, regardless of distances from the heat source, cooking mediums and intensity of cooking conditions. Barbecuing with charcoal plus wood chips however resulted in the formation of benzo[a]pyrene in most foods; for beef burgers only, barbecuing over charcoal (without the use of wood chips) gave the highest levels. In general PAH levels increased when the food was barbequed closer to the heat source. For sausages cooked over briquettes, and for beef burgers, beef and salmon cooked over charcoal, the concentration of PAHs was lower when the food was closer to the heat source. Cooking time may result in a moderate increase of PAHs in some foods, although concentrations in beef burgers appeared to fall when cooking time was extended by 50-100%.
authors: The Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK. Electronic address: martin.rose@fera.gsi.gov.uk.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Rose
authors: The Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
authors: Joe
authors: J
authors: Holland
authors: Food Standards Agency, Aviation House, 125 Kingsway, London WC2B 6NH, UK.
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Dowding
authors: The Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
authors: Steve R G
authors: SR
authors: Petch
authors: The Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
authors: Shaun
authors: S
authors: White
authors: The Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK.
authors: Alwyn
authors: A
authors: Fernandes
authors: Food Standards Agency, Aviation House, 125 Kingsway, London WC2B 6NH, UK.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Mortimer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle; D002606:Charcoal; D003296:Cooking / Q000379:methods*; D005504:Food Analysis; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D011786:Quality Control; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000032:analysis; D012474:Salmon; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis; D014934:Wood
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D002606:Charcoal; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene
keywords: Barbecue; Benzo[a]pyrene; Cooking; Grill; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Risk assessment; Toast