Content and Bioaccessibility Evaluation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Aquatic Products: Effects of Cooking Methods on PAHs

The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic evaluation of the content, bioaccessibility, and health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in different types of aquatic products subjected to different cooking methods. The variations of PAH contents and bioaccessibility in 12 types of aquatic products (including fish, shrimp, and crab) under four different heating methods (frying, grilling, steaming, and boiling) were investigated. The results showed that frying and grilling increased total PAH concentrations in all samples and led to the detection of more PAH compounds. Contrary to expectations, steaming and boiling did not reduce PAHs in some samples (e.g., Portunus sanguinolentus); instead, they resulted in increased PAH levels. ΣPAH4 and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) levels in all samples remained below EU limits (12 and 2 µg/kg, respectively). BaP was undetected in raw samples, but trace levels (below quantification limits) appeared in fried Portunus trituberculatus, Portunus sanguinolentus, grass carp, large yellow croaker, and ribbon fish. Grilled crabs presented the highest PAH levels and the strongest interaction effects between cooked treatments and species. Cooked samples showed significantly lower ΣPAH bioaccessibility than raw tissues (p < 0.01), with no differences among cooking methods or aquatic species under the same conditions. The risk assessments indicated that the incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCRs) for all cooking methods remained below the negligible threshold (ILCR < 1 × 10^-6). However, frying and grilling result in higher ILCR values than steaming and boiling, emphasizing the critical role of bioaccessibility in refining risk assessments.