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Content archived on 2024-04-16

POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHs) IN FOOD

Objective


Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are a broad class of environmental contaminants which arise mainly through incomplete combustion processes. Their high genotoxic activity requires that the compounds are determined at low levels (ug/kg) which poses considerable analytical difficulty. The food industry has set a maximum permissible limit for benz(a)pyrene in refined edible oil of 1 ug/kg. The objective of the project was to improve the accuracy of the determination through intercomparisons and to prepare certified reference materials (CRM).

Four intercomparisons have been carried out at progressively lower PAH levels. Initially only calibration and instrumental aspects were considered. In the second study, 5 representative PAHs in a highly contaminated coconut oil (benz(a)pyrene content of around 40 ug/kg) and green kale were analysed. Serious discrepancies were observed. In the next study, participants analysed a coconut oil which had been prepared by the coordinating laboratory who added known amounts of 5 compounds (benz(a)pyrene content of 13 ug/kg) to an almost blank oil. Considerable improvement was observed and biased methods were identified. The fourth study involved a typical semirefined food oil with a benz(a)pyrene content of around 4 ug/kg and showed that certification of a reference material at this level is now possible.
PAHs are a broad class of environmental contaminants which arise mainly through incomplete combustion processes (in auto-exhaust, fossil-fuel power-generators, etc...). As many PAHs are potent mutagens or carcinogens, their presence in foods is carefully monitored. Their high genotoxic activity requires that the compounds are determined at low levels (ug/kg) which poses considerable analytical difficulty.
The food industry has set a maximum permissible limit for benz (a) pyrene in refined edible oil of 1 ug/kg.
The objective is to improve the accuracy of the determination through intercomparisons and to prepare CRMs.

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Coordinator

Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieuhygiene
EU contribution
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Address

3720 BA BILTHOVEN
Netherlands

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Total cost

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Participants (18)

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