Effect of different smoking times and temperatures on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in smoked sausages

Smoked pork and chicken sausages were prepared using three different time-temperature combinations; 60 °C for 4 hours, 75 °C for 3 hours, and 90 °C for 2 hours. The amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in these smoked products was estimated using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The PAH compounds were identified using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and the retention time of that particular compound. The most potent carcinogenic PAH compound, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), was not detected in any of the treatments analyzed. The pork and chicken sausages were found to contain the following PAH compounds: Flu, BaA, Chr, BbF, and BkF. Chrysene was found in all samples in the range from 27.38 to 45.08 µg/kg. It was observed that a higher smoking temperature (90 °C) resulted in more PAH compounds in the sausages. Furthermore, the chicken sausages were found to have higher concentrations of PAHs, particularly Chr and BaA, than the pork sausages.