🧬 Scientists Reveal Hidden Cancer-Causing Chemicals in Everyday Foods
In an era in which people are increasingly aware of the importance of healthy eating, monitoring calorie intake, and exercising regularly, a major challenge remains: the presence of harmful chemicals hidden inside some foods, even those that seem natural and nutritious, such as fruits and vegetables. Recent research shows that some chemical contaminants, especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons – PAHs), can be present in foods because of environmental pollution or as a result of cooking methods that rely on high temperatures, such as grilling, frying, smoking, and roasting.
Important scientific point: The presence of PAHs in foods does not necessarily mean cancer will occur, but identifying their levels helps reduce risks and improve food safety.
🧪 What Are Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, PAHs?
These compounds are organic molecules made up of interconnected aromatic rings, and they are insoluble in water (hydrophobic). Some types of PAHs are known for their potential ability to cause cancer, which makes accurately monitoring them in food essential for protecting public health.
PAHs pose a real challenge in food safety testing, as traditional methods for extracting and analyzing them require complex equipment and procedures, along with intensive steps that may be harmful to the environment and difficult to carry out routinely.
🩺 The QuEChERS Method for Rapid and Accurate PAH Analysis
A research team from Seoul National University of Science and Technology in South Korea developed an advanced method based on a technique called QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe), which aims to speed up and simplify PAH analysis in foods and reduce the use of harmful chemicals.
In a study conducted in 2025, researchers led by Professor Joon-Goo Lee were able to measure eight important PAH compounds, including benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, and benzo[g,h,i]perylene.
Why is this important for health? Simplifying analytical procedures enhances laboratories’ ability to conduct more frequent testing, which helps in the early detection of contaminants.
🌱 Accurate and Reliable Results
- The team used acetonitrile for extraction to remove PAHs from the samples.
- They tested several sample-cleanup strategies using different groups of sorbents to improve analytical quality.
- Measurement results confirmed high linearity in the calibration curves, with R2 values exceeding 0.99 for all eight compounds, reflecting very high accuracy and reliability.
- The Limit of Detection ranged from 0.006 to 0.035 micrograms per kilogram, and the Limit of Quantification ranged from 0.019 to 0.133 micrograms per kilogram.
- The Recovery rate was high and stable, ranging from 86.3% to 109.6% at 5 micrograms/kg, and the strong performance continued at higher amounts.
- Precision was set within a range of 0.4% to 6.9% across the various food types tested.
The results showed that the highest concentrations of PAH compounds were in soybean oil, followed by duck meat, then canola oil.
🧠 QuEChERS Advantages According to the Scientific Commentary
Professor Lee confirms that this method does not merely reduce complexity in analytical procedures; it also provides high detection efficiency that offers food companies and regulatory bodies a deeper sense of insight.
What did the research reveal? Rapid and accurate detection enables the relevant authorities to make decisions based on solid evidence to protect consumers.
🧬 Why Should We Care About PAHs?
PAH compounds form mainly when foods are exposed to high temperatures or to smoke produced by burning fats or meat juices over open flames or hot heating surfaces. Sources of PAHs also include smoking and environmental pollution such as car exhaust.
According to the National Cancer Institute, animal studies have shown that exposure to these compounds increases the likelihood of developing cancer, but human studies have not yet proved a definitive link between exposure to these compounds in cooked meat and cancer.
The importance of developing precise analytical tools stems from these uncertainties, as they help clarify contamination levels more accurately, which enables regulatory authorities to monitor improvements in food preparation practices and reduce contamination.
🧪 Expanding the Use of the QuEChERS Method in Multiple Research Areas
After the Seoul study, scientists continued modifying this technique to suit different food categories. In a paper published in 2025 in the journal “Foods,” a modified version was developed that included a freeze out step to analyze more than 300 samples of commercial foods.
- “Kezuribushi” samples, which are smoked and dried fish, topped the list of foods with the highest content of priority four-ring PAHs.
- Grilled chicken feet were a potential source of health concern according to the margin of exposure assessment by the European Food Safety Authority.
Another study on grains and grain products showed that chrysene was the only compound detected in 17% of grain samples, and no PAHs were found in products derived from them.
These diverse studies show the importance of testing food at the type-specific level because PAH levels vary significantly depending on the raw material, processing methods, and temperatures used.
Health takeaway: Food diversity requires flexible and advanced analytical methods tailored to each type individually.
🧠 Benefits of Modern Techniques for Food Testing
Improving PAH detection methods not only enhances consumer safety but also reduces operating costs and limits occupational exposure to dangerous chemicals inside laboratories.
Research teams, led by Professor Joon-Goo Lee, continue working on developing risk assessment mechanisms and reducing food contamination through a carefully studied scientific approach that ensures a balance between effective procedures and environmental safety.
🩺 What Does This Mean for Society?
Improving the speed and accuracy of food testing opens new horizons for finding solutions to reduce hidden carcinogenic contaminants and helps establish stricter and more environmentally friendly international health standards.
Ensuring food safety remains the cornerstone of protecting public health and reducing the risks of chronic diseases linked to nutrition.
👨🔬 Who Is Professor Joon Goo Lee?
Professor Lee is an internationally recognized expert in food science and food safety at Seoul National University of Science and Technology. He has long experience in risk assessment and food policy development, with extensive expertise including work at Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and international organizations such as JECFA affiliated of the Food and Agriculture (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
His research contributions have focused on finding ways to reduce and assess food contaminants in ways that serve public health and strengthen a scientifically robust food oversight system.
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