Levels and health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in grilled meat in the Kurdistan region of Iraq

The objective of the present research was to examine 16 compounds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in grilled meat samples (including grilled beef, kebab, and grilled chicken) sold in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, using the MSPE-GC/MS method (magnetic solid-phase extraction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). The Σ₁₆PAH levels in grilled beef, kebab, and grilled chicken were 7.18, 11.09, and 7.68 µg/kg, respectively. The highest amount of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) was found in kebab (1.25 ± 0.26 µg/kg), followed by grilled beef (0.75 ± 0.13 µg/kg) and grilled chicken (0.62 ± 0.11 µg/kg). The BaP levels in all the samples were within the European Union (EU) standard limits. The health risk assessment of the PAHs in the samples was performed via the Monte Carlo simulation. The results revealed that the values of hazard quotient (HQ), incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), and margin of exposure (MoE) for children and adults were within the acceptable ranges. Our findings indicate that the consumption of grilled meat does not pose a health risk for Iraqi children and adults.