PAH | EUROLAB

What Is PAH?

PAH analysis is the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons formed as a result of incomplete combustion. IN FOOD, it originates from smoking, grilling and drying processes; benzo(a)pyrene is evaluated alone and as a four-component total (PAH4). In COSMETICS, it comes to the fore through carbon black, mineral oil derivatives and tar-based components.

Purpose of PAH

The aim is to show that PAH compounds classified as carcinogenic are below the regulatory limits in products.

Which Products Is PAH Applied To?

Smoked meat and fish products
Grilled and roasted products
vegetable oils
baby foods
Cosmetic products containing carbon black
Rubber and plastic consumer products

In Which Sectors Is PAH Used?

FoodAgricultureRetailCosmeticsPlastics & Rubber

Standards Related to PAH

TS EN 16619 (food — benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and chrysene, GC-MS)
TS EN 15753 (PAH in oil and fatty foods)
AfPS GS 2019:01 PAK (assessment of PAHs in consumer products)
ISO 18287 (PAH in soil — for environmental matrices)

PAH Conditions

Extraction: With suitable organic solvent; Purification by gel permeation chromatography in oily matrices
Measurement: GC-MS veya HPLC-floresans
Assessment: The sum of benzo(a)pyrene and PAH4 in food separately
Unit: µg/kg veya mg/kg

Equipment for PAH

GC-MS / GC-MS/MS
HPLC-floresans
Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) cleanup system
Solid phase extraction devices

Sample Requirements for PAH

Homogenized representative sample
The sample should be sent in a glass container; Contact with plastic should be avoided
In smoked products, the surface and interior can be evaluated separately.
Carbon black or mineral oil content must be declared in cosmetics

Duration of PAH

Extraction, cleanup and chromatographic measurement together take several working days; In oily matrices, the cleaning step prolongs the time.

PAH Procedure

1The sample is homogenized and weighed.
2It is extracted with the appropriate solvent.
3It is cleaned in oily matrices by GPC or solid phase extraction.
4The extract is concentrated.
5Measured by GC-MS or HPLC-fluorescence.
6The sum of benzo(a)pyrene and PAH4 is calculated.

PAH Acceptance Criteria

In food (EU) 2023/915 defines maximum levels for the sum of benzo(a)pyrene and PAH4 by product category; Limits are stricter on baby foods. In cosmetics, certain PAH compounds and tar derivatives are prohibited under (EC) 1223/2009 Annex II. The limits to be applied are confirmed by the relevant legislation.

Evaluation of Results

Benzo(a)pyrene alone is not a sufficient indicator; therefore the legislation also limits the four-component sum (PAH4). In a product, the PAH4 total may be exceeded while benzo(a)pyrene remains below the limit. Since PAHs concentrate on the surface in smoked products, the way of sample preparation affects the results.

PAH Report

Specimen identification and matrix
Applied standard and cleaning method
Result and detection limit for each PAH component
Sum of benzo(a)pyrene and PAH4
Regulatory limits compared against

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

(EU) Maximum Contaminant Levels Regulation 2023/915
(EC) 1223/2009 Cosmetic Products Regulation Annex II
(AT) 1907/2006 REACH Ek XVII madde 50

Food Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the PAH test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Food testing shows that a product is safe for consumption and contains what its label states. The family works along three axes: microbiological safety, chemical safety and nutritional composition. All three require different laboratory infrastructure, a different body of methods and a different turnaround time.

The most distinctive feature of the field is TIME PRESSURE. A steel specimen can wait on a shelf; a raw milk or fresh meat sample cannot. The time the sample was taken, the transport temperature and how long it takes to reach the laboratory directly determine the validity of the result. In food microbiology the cold chain record is therefore an inseparable part of the test report.

On the microbiological side there are two different questions and they must not be confused. DETECTION of a pathogen is a qualitative question: is Salmonella present in the sample or not? ENUMERATION of indicator organisms is a quantitative question and an indicator of production hygiene. The absence of a pathogen in a product does not show that hygiene is good; if the total mesophilic aerobic count is high, there is a problem in the process.

On the chemical side, pesticide residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals, additives, veterinary drug residues and process contaminants (acrylamide, furan, PAH) are measured. Multi-residue methods in this area (QuEChERS-based LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS) can screen hundreds of active substances in a single analysis; limits are defined separately for each product–substance pair.

On the composition side, protein, fat, moisture, ash, fibre, sugar profile, fatty acid composition, vitamin and mineral content are determined. These values are the basis of the nutrition declaration on the label and the tolerance ranges are defined in legislation — the difference between the declared value and the measured value must stay within that tolerance.

There is NO CE marking on food, and this shapes how the field works. Conformity is demonstrated through operating a HACCP-based food safety system, complying with labelling rules and not exceeding contaminant, residue and microbiological limits. A test result produces evidence not for a certificate but for a functioning system.

Allergen management carries particular weight. The presence of an undeclared allergen in a product is one of the most frequent causes of food recalls. Analysis here runs together with cleaning validation: it is shown that the line has been cleaned adequately after a production run containing an allergen and that the risk of cross-contamination is under control.

Voluntary schemes have become effectively mandatory in this field. Retail chains require their suppliers to hold a certificate under a GFSI-recognised scheme (BRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000); without it, getting onto the shelf is practically impossible.

Method groups in this field

Pathogen detection
Detection of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Cronobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli; culture-based and molecular methods.
Indicator counts
Total mesophilic aerobic count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and E. coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, yeasts and moulds, lactic acid bacteria, sulphite-reducing Clostridia.
Pesticide and veterinary residues
Multi-residue screening by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS with QuEChERS extraction.
Mycotoxins and contaminants
Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, patulin; heavy metals (ICP-MS), acrylamide and PAH compounds.
Nutritional composition
Kjeldahl protein, fat and fatty acid profile, moisture, ash, dietary fibre, sugar profile, vitamin and mineral analyses.
Allergens and authenticity
Gluten, milk, egg, nut and soy allergen analyses; molecular methods for species identification and adulteration detection.

Commonly confused in this field

Sampling is half the result. A sample transported at the wrong temperature or delayed gives an invalid result even if it is analysed correctly in the laboratory.
The absence of a pathogen does not show that hygiene is good; indicator counts give separate information and the two are read together.
A result from a sample taken from a lot can be generalised to the whole lot only if the sampling plan was set up statistically.
Limits are defined in separate regulations by product group and are updated regularly; a conformity decision based on an outdated limit table may be wrong.
For exports, the limits of the destination country may differ from EU limits; the same product may be compliant in one market and non-compliant in another.

Which decisions these results support

Verification of the HACCP plan and process monitoring
The basis for the nutrition declaration and allergen information on the label
Health certificates before export and compliance with destination market limits
Supplier and lot-based acceptance control
Shelf-life studies and determining storage conditions
Producing evidence for audits under GFSI-recognised schemes

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About PAH

If we change the smoking method, will PAH decrease?

Usually yes. Indirect fumigation, smoke filtration and temperature control significantly reduce PAH formation. After changes, the product must be re-analyzed.

Kozmetikte PAH nereden gelir?

The main sources are carbon black pigment, unrefined mineral oil derivatives and tar-derived components. Raw material purity is decisive; Supplier specification is critical at this point.