The carcinogenic PAHs in breads, amount, analytical method and mitigation strategy, a systematic review study.

Bread is one of the most consumed foods all over the world. Several contaminants are identified in bread. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is one of these contaminants. This systematic study evaluates the amount of four carcinogenic PAHs (PAH4) in various types of breads. To conduct this study, a comprehensive search was carried out using keywords of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, PAH4, and bread, with no time limitations. 17 articles were selected and fully evaluated. The observed range of PAH4 concentrations in bread varied from non-detected (ND) to 20.66 µg/kg. In the sample preparation process for analysis, an ultrasonic bath was predominantly utilized. Most chromatographic methods are able to measure PAHs in food, but the GC-MS method has been used more. To mitigate PAH levels in bread, it is suggested to incorporate antioxidants during the bread-making process. Furthermore, the type of bread, the type of fuel used to bake the bread, the temperature and the cooking time were some of the factors affecting the amount of PAH. Restricting these factors could significantly reduce PAH content. Regarding the risk assessment conducted in the manuscript, it was determined that industrial breads are usually considered safe. However, some traditional breads may pose risks in terms of their potential PAH content.

Influence of green pepper extract on the physicochemical, antioxidant, and sensory properties of stirred yogurt.

The green pepper has garnered interest in different societies as a functional food and food additive. Numerous studies have indicated that the phytochemicals found in pepper possess antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-arteriosclerotic properties. In this study, green pepper extract was used in yogurt to increase the acceptability of consumption and improve its health properties. For this purpose, green pepper extract was added in concentrations 100, 200, and 300 ppm in the preparation of yogurt. And pH, acidity, total content of phenolic compounds, DPPH inhibition percentage, viscosity, syneresis, and sensory properties were evaluated in 1, 7, 14, and 21 days after production. The results showed that by increasing the amount of extract, the percentage of antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds increased significantly. The effect of storage time on these indicators was also significant (p < 0.05). in such a way that over time, there was a decrease in antioxidant activity. But, there was a slight increase in antioxidant activity on the 14th day of storage. Also, the effect of treatment type on some physicochemical characteristics of yogurt containing green pepper extract including pH, acidity, viscosity, and syneresis was significant (p < 0.05). During storage, acidity, syneresis, and viscosity increased and pH decreased significantly in all yogurt samples. Regarding the tested sensory attributes, the 200 ppm sample received the highest score among the evaluators, and in terms of overall acceptance, the samples containing the extract were more favorable than the control sample.

The effect of flavorings on PAHs level in the roasted sunflower seeds.

The amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be reduced by food additives. In this study, the impact of various flavors was investigated on the formation of PAHs in roasted sunflower seeds. PAHs was measured in the shell and kernel of sunflower with the flavors of lemon, golpar (hogweed), salt, ketchup and raw sunflower. Measuring the amount of PAHs was analyzed by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). PAHs with low molecular weight were detected. The total of PAHs of sunflower seeds were in the range of 0.4-3.2 mg kg-1. The lowest amount was related to the hogweed kernel, and the highest amount was related to the lemon. High molecular weight PAHs were not detected because the temperature did not rise above 100 °C during roasting. Some flavors, such as hogweed can reduce the amount of PAHs because of their antioxidant properties. On the contrary, the PAHs level with lemon juice was higher than other flavors.