The Influence of Cooking Methods and Some Marinades on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Formation in Beef Meat

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons' Impact on Crops and Occurrence, Sources, and Detection Methods in Food: A Review

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent a category of persistent organic pollutants that pose a global concern in the realm of food safety due to their recognized carcinogenic properties in humans. Food can be contaminated with PAHs that are present in water, air, or soil, or during food processing and cooking. The wide and varied sources of PAHs contribute to their persistent contamination of food, leading to their accumulation within these products. As a result, monitoring of the levels of PAHs in food is necessary to guarantee the safety of food products as well as the public health. This review paper attempts to give its readers an overview of the impact of PAHs on crops, their occurrence and sources, and the methodologies employed for the sample preparation and detection of PAHs in food. In addition, possible directions for future research are proposed. The objective is to provide references for the monitoring, prevention, and in-depth exploration of PAHs in food.

Assessing the Formation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Grilled Beef Steak and Beef Patty with Different Charcoals by the Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) Method with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

This study investigated the effects of different charcoals on the occurrence of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in grilled beef steaks and beef patties. Seven different charcoals were used as follows: from oak wood (C1), from orange wood (C2), from Valonia oak wood (C3), from Marabu wood (C4), extruded charcoal from beech wood (C5), from coconut shells (C6), and from hazelnut shells (C7). The grilling times for each charcoal type were 6 min for the beef patties and 7 min for the beef steaks, until the internal temperature reached at least 74°C. The total concentration of 16 PAHs (PAH16) in beef steaks grilled with C1 (35.75 μg/kg) and C7 (36.39 μg/kg) was higher than that of C3 (23.80 μg/kg) and C6 (24.48 μg/kg; p<0.05). The highest amounts of PAH16 (216.40 μg/kg) were determined in the beef patty samples grilled using C5 (p<0.05). The summation of benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene and benzo[a]pyrene, referred to as PAH4, was not detected in any of the beef steaks, whereas it was determined in the beef patties grilled with C2 (7.72 μg/kg) and C5 (22.95 μg/kg; p<0.05). The PAH16 concentrations of the beef patty samples in each charcoal group were significantly higher compared to the beef steaks (p<0.05). To avoid the formation of high PAH levels, the use of extruded charcoal and hazelnut shell charcoal should therefore be avoided when charcoal grilling beef steaks and beef patties, and low-fat meat products should be preferred.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Roasted Pork Meat and the Effect of Dried Fruits on PAH Content

Diet is one of the main factors affecting human health. The frequent consumption of heat-treated meat has been classified as both directly carcinogenic to humans and as a risk factor, especially in the case of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. Thermally processed meat may contain harmful muta- and carcinogenic compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, there are natural ways to reduce the risk of diet-related cancers by reducing the formation of PAHs in meat. The purpose of this study was to determine changes in PAH levels in pork loin dishes prepared by stuffing the meat with dried fruits (prunes, apricots and cranberries) and baking it in a roasting bag. High-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) was used to conduct a quantitative analysis of seven PAHs. Recovery results ranged from 61 to 96%. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.003 to 0.006 ng/g, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.01 to 0.02 ng/g. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was used to confirm the presence of PAHs in food. The total PAH content of the roasted pork loin was 7.4 ng/g. This concentration decreased by 35%, 48% and 58% when the meat was roasted with apricots, prunes and cranberries, respectively. The cranberries also inhibited the formation of benzo(a)pyrene to the greatest extent. Thermally treating meat stuffed with dry fruits may be a simple and effective way to prepare foods with reduced levels of mutagens and carcinogens belonging to PAHs, and thus reduce the risk of cancer.

Effects of Gochujang (Korean Red Pepper Paste) Marinade on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Formation in Charcoal-Grilled Pork Belly

Charcoal-grilling is a popular cooking method but causes the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which can be harmful to human health. Gochujang marinade is commonly used for flavoring meats during charcoal-grilling. However, the effects of this marinade on PAHs formation during charcoal-grilling are unclear. Here, we evaluated the effects of Gochujang marinade on the formation of 16 PAHs and inhibition rate of major PAHs (benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo[a]pyrene) in charcoal-grilled pork belly. Pork belly without marinade (PBW) and marinated with Gochujang (PBG) were stored for 10 days at 9°C under vacuum conditions and then charcoal-grilled to different doneness (internal temperatures of 71°C and 81°C). Among 16 PAHs evaluated in this study, 14 PAHs were detected in charcoal-grilled pork belly, regardless of doneness. PAH formation in charcoal-grilled pork belly was higher at an internal temperature of 81°C than at 71°C (p<0.05). Initially, PBG showed reduced total PAH formation and lower percentages of three major PAHs compared with PBW. Storage increased the inhibitory effects of PBG on the 16 PAHs, and the maximum reduction in total 16 PAHs (63.06%) was observed with moderate cooking (71°C) on day 10 (p<0.05). Moreover, marinade and doneness showed a high interaction with regard to PAH contents in charcoal-grilled pork belly (p<0.05-p<0.0001). Therefore, our findings suggested that marinating pork belly with Gochujang and grilling at 71°C could reduce the formation of 16 PAHs in charcoal-grilled pork belly.