COMPARISON OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS CONTAMINATION LEVELS IN ROASTED FOODS (PLANTAIN, MAIZE & YAM) AND BEVERAGES (MILO, MYCHOCO, LIPTON & NESCAFE) CONSUMED IN ANAMBRA STATE

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of hazardous organic chemicals consisting of three or more fused benzene rings, which can exist in linear, angular, and group arrangements. This study aimed to determine and compare PAH contamination levels and emission sources in roasted foods and beverages from road vendors and markets, respectively, in major cities in Anambra State, Nigeria. A total of 14 PAH samples were extracted using a Soxhlet extractor, and the extracts were cleaned up. The PAHs analysis was performed using gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The results showed that the ∑16 PAHs (× 10-2 µg/kg) in roasted foods ranged from 1.500±1.873 in roasted yams to 9.074±8.120 in plantains, and in beverages, ∑16 PAHs ranged from 36.25±0.01 in Nescafé to 90.04±0.01 in Mychoco. The ∑HMW PAHs in roasted foods ranged from 0.028±0.000 in yams to 6.090±4.142 in maize, while for beverages, ∑HMW PAHs varied from 25.48±0.01 at 70.3% in Nescafé to 66.48±0.03 at 73.8% in Mychoco. The ∑LMW PAHs in roasted foods varied from 2.824±1.892 in yams to 9.759±7.861 in maize, and in beverages, they ranged from 9.94±0.01 at 15.0% in Lipton to 23.56±0.02 at 26.2% in Mychoco. The ∑PAH8 contamination level (× 10-2 µg/kg) in beverages ranged from 22.98±1.00 in Nescafé to 63.38±1.03 in Mychoco, while in roasted foods it ranged from 0.028±0.000 in yams to 3.090±4.124 in maize. The PAHs detected in the analyzed samples were below the permissible limit of 1.0µg/kg by EFSA for cereal and cereal-based products and are considered safe for consumption.