Effect of charcoal types and grilling conditions on formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in grilled muscle foods

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology 2012-06, Vol.50 (6), p.2128-2134
• Main Authors: Viegas, O., Novo, P., Pinto, E., Pinho, O., Ferreira, I.M.P.L.V.O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: animal-based foods; Animals; aromatic amines; beef; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinogenesis, carcinogens and anticarcinogens; Carcinogens - analysis; Cattle; Charcoal; Chemical agents; Chickens; Coconut shell charcoal; coconuts; Cocos; combustion; Cooking; Fishes; Grilled muscle foods; grilling; Heterocyclic aromatic amines; Heterocyclic Compounds - analysis; Hot Temperature; Indicators and Reagents; Meat; Medical sciences; Molecular Weight; Muscle, Skeletal - chemistry; mutagenicity; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Reference Standards; Salmon; Salmonidae; Temperature; toxic substances; Toxicology; Tumors; Wood
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2012.03.051

► Influence of charcoal type on HAs and PAHs formation. ► Coconut shell charcoal is safer to grill fatty muscle foods. ► Continuous barbecuing with the same charcoal increases HAs and PAHs formation. ► High intake of HAs and PAHs is obtained from a single meal of barbecued meat or fish. Grilling muscle foods involves high temperatures that lead to production of cooking toxicants, such as heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). To obtain realistic exposure levels of these two groups of mutagens analyses of the same samples using similar separation/detection techniques were performed. HAs and PAHs were quantified in well-done meat and fish samples grilled with wood and coconut shell charcoal at 200°C. Quantitative HAs and PAHs profiles were different for beef and salmon using the same type of charcoal. Higher levels of HAs and PAHs were found in salmon samples. No significant differences were observed for HAs and PAHs in beef samples grilled with both charcoal types, whereas salmon grilled with coconut shell charcoal presented significantly lower amounts of HAs and PAHs than salmon grilled with usual wood charcoal. Continuous barbecuing with the same charcoal shown that combustion of fat that dropped along the grilling period contributed to higher formation of HAs and PAHs. Special attention must be given to the intake of barbecued foods since high amounts of HAs and PAHs can be taken in a single meal.