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. 2025 Jan 22;14(3):350.
doi: 10.3390/foods14030350.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Polish Traditionally and Industrially Smoked Meats as an Element of Monitoring and PAH Reduction Strategies

Jolanta Kowalska  1 , Monika Stanisławek  1 , Agnieszka Latoch  2 , Agata Marzec  1 , Sabina Galus  1 , Hanna Kowalska  1 , Marta Ciecierska  3
Affiliations

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Polish Traditionally and Industrially Smoked Meats as an Element of Monitoring and PAH Reduction Strategies

Jolanta Kowalska et al. Foods. .

Abstract

This work aimed to analyze the PAH content in products smoked in traditional smokehouses with direct and indirect heat sources and in an industrial way as an element of PAH content monitoring in Polish market products. This research material comprised 12 smoked meats (W) and 38 sausages (K), medium or coarsely minced. The content of benzo(a)pyrene and the total content of four marker PAHs was determined by GC-MS. The analysis showed a significantly higher level of PAH contamination in products smoked using traditional methods. The results also indicate that the natural casing is not a barrier against PAH contamination during traditional smoking, and a higher degree of meat fragmentation, together with a small cross-section, increases the PAH content in this technological group. Concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene exceeding the permissible levels were found in the sausages smoked for more than 60 min. As part of the strategies for reducing the PAH content, among others, changing the furnace to an indirect one, shortening the time, lowering the smoking temperature, using artificial casings or removing casings before consumption, drying the product surface before the smoking process, using seasoned and bark-free wood, as well as additional smokehouse equipment, are recommended.

Keywords: GC-MS; benzo(a)pyrene; industrial smoking; monitoring; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); reduction strategies; smoked meat products; traditional smoking.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PCA and cluster analysis: (a) PCA loading plot of two principal components, (b) score plot presenting analyzed samples in terms of PC1 vs. PC2, and (c) cluster analysis. The red line on (b) concerns the separation of a group of data with a similar effect of factors involved in the smoking process.
Figure 1
Figure 1
PCA and cluster analysis: (a) PCA loading plot of two principal components, (b) score plot presenting analyzed samples in terms of PC1 vs. PC2, and (c) cluster analysis. The red line on (b) concerns the separation of a group of data with a similar effect of factors involved in the smoking process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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