In at the moment’s world, many individuals are paying nearer consideration to their well being and day by day routines, with health habits and calorie-tracking apps changing into more and more common. As a part of this development, extra people try to incorporate nutrient-dense foods resembling vegatables and fruits in their diets. However, these foods can generally include polycyclic fragrant hydrocarbons (PAHs) (hydrophobic natural compounds comprising a number of fused fragrant rings) and associated substances. This contamination can happen via environmental publicity or via cooking strategies resembling heating, smoking, grilling, roasting, and frying. Some PAHs are recognized to be carcinogenic, creating potential well being issues.
Given these dangers, precisely extracting and figuring out PAHs in meals is extraordinarily essential. Traditional extraction approaches, together with solid-phase, liquid-liquid, and accelerated solvent extraction, are efficient however typically gradual, labor intensive, and fewer environmentally pleasant. To deal with these challenges, researchers have turned to the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) methodology, a method designed to simplify and velocity up the extraction of natural compounds. This method shortens processing time, will increase accuracy and restoration, and streamlines pattern preparation, contributing to safer and extra environment friendly PAH evaluation.
SeoulTech Researchers Apply QuEChERS to Eight PAHs
A current investigation by a workforce from the Department of Food Science and Biotechnology at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, led by Professor Joon-Goo Lee, utilized the QuEChERS methodology to measure eight PAHs (Benzo[a]anthracene, Chrysene, Benzo[b]fluoranthene, Benzo[k]fluoranthene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, Dibenz[a,h]anthracene, and Benzo[g,h,i]perylene) in meals. The study was printed in Food Science and Biotechnology.
To carry out the evaluation, the researchers used acetonitrile to extract PAHs earlier than purifying the samples with a number of mixtures of sorbents. Using a number of meals matrices, they confirmed that the QuEChERS methodology produced extremely constant outcomes. Calibration curves for all eight PAHs confirmed distinctive linearity, with the R2 worth surpassing 0.99.
Gas chromatography‒mass spectrometry testing revealed detection limits starting from 0.006 to 0.035 µg/kg and quantification limits between 0.019 and 0.133 µg/kg. Recovery charges have been equally robust, starting from 86.3 to 109.6% at 5 µg/kg, 87.7 to 100.1% at 10 µg/kg, and 89.6 to 102.9% at 20 µg/kg, with precision values between 0.4 and 6.9% throughout all examined meals matrices.
Prof. Lee explains, “This method not only simplifies the analytical process but also demonstrates high efficiency in detection compared to conventional methods. It can be applied to a wide range of food matrices.”
Practical Applications and Public Health Benefits
In food-related industries, this methodology may assist more practical security inspections and enhance general high quality management. It can also decrease operational prices and improve employee security.
“Our research can improve public health by providing safe food. It also reduces the use and emission of hazardous chemicals in laboratory testing,” concludes Prof. Lee.
Overall, the study demonstrates that the PAH evaluation method constructed on the QuEChERS method is speedy, correct, and environmentally sustainable.