Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


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2148399 
Technical Report 
Presenza degli Idrocarburi Policiclici Aromatici Negli Alimenti. (Occurrence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Food) 
Bocca, B; Crebelli, R; Menichini, E 
2003 
NTIS/02927846 
GRA and I 
GRA and I 
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous organic compounds, whose occurrence in food may be due to environmental contamination, processing or domestic cooking methods. PAHs are of health concern due to the carcinogenicity shown by many of them, and in particular by benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), the most studied compound, generally used as a marker of PAH class. Individual PAHs usually occur in food at levels ranging from and lt;0.1 to about 100 micrograms/kg. The mean daily intake of BaP by food ingestion is estimated approximately in the range 50-300 ng/person, higher than the daily intake by inhalation (estimated in the order of 20 ng/person). Foods mostly contributing to PAH intake are cereals, vegetables, oils and fats. PAH concentrations in various foods are given in detail. The findings of national surveys on PAH intake by ingestion are discussed, as well as the most recent assessments of carcinogenic risk.