Researchers Develop Faster Method to Detect Harmful Compounds in Food
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Scientists have refined a streamlined testing method to measure levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in various foods. These compounds can form during high-heat cooking and have been linked to cancer in animal studies. The new method offers improved recovery rates and precision, helping to identify foods with higher PAH concentrations.
Facts First
- A refined QuEChERS method is now being used to detect eight specific PAHs in food with high accuracy.
- PAHs can form during grilling, smoking, or frying and have caused cancer in animal studies.
- The method showed high recovery rates (86.3–109.6%) and precision across different food samples.
- Soybean oil, duck meat, and canola oil were found to have the highest PAH levels in one study.
- Other recent studies have identified smoked fish and grilled chicken feet as potential sources of concern.
What Happened
Researchers from Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech) published a 2025 study applying the QuEChERS method to measure eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in food. The method uses acetonitrile for extraction and various purification strategies. It demonstrated high accuracy, with calibration curves having R² values above 0.99, limits of detection as low as 0.006 µg/kg, and recovery rates between 86.3% and 109.6%. The study found the highest PAH levels in soybean oil, followed by duck meat and canola oil.
Why this Matters to You
This development means food safety monitoring for these compounds could become faster and more efficient. While PAHs have caused cancer in animal studies, human population studies have not established a definitive link between exposure from cooked meats and cancer. You may encounter PAHs in foods prepared by grilling, smoking, or frying, as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) notes they can form when fat drips onto hot surfaces, creating smoke. The refined testing method could lead to better data on PAH levels in common foods, which may inform future public health guidelines.
What's Next
Further research using similar methods is likely to continue surveying a wider range of foods. A separate 2025 study already applied a modified QuEChERS method to 302 retail samples, identifying smoked fish and grilled chicken feet as items with higher PAH concentrations. As testing becomes more streamlined, regulators and food producers could use this data to assess potential risks and explore ways to reduce PAH formation during cooking.