Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seasoned-roasted laver and their reduction according to the mixing ratio of seasoning oil and heat treatment in a model system.

In food processing, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be generated during heat treatment, and the PAHs in seasoned-roasted (SR) laver can be reduced by checking points during manufacturing. Benzo (a) anthracene, chrysene, benzo (b) fluoranthene, and benzo (a) pyrene have been identified in SR laver via GC/MS. We confirmed that in practice, the PAHs in SR laver form from the mixed oil (57%) and roasting process (43%). To mitigate the formation of PAHs, we used a model system to change the mixing ratio of oil, roasting temperature, and time. A significant reduction (35%) was observed in the PAH level as the perilla oil was removed from the mixed oil composition and roasting continued at 350 °C for 10 s. These results show that the composition of the mixing oil and the parameters of the heat treatment are crucial factors that contribute to the formation of PAHs in roasted laver.

Risk assessment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detected in sanitary pads.

Disposable sanitary pads are a necessity for women's health, but safety concerns regarding the use of these products have created anxiety. The aim of this study was to conduct a risk assessment of 74 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which were expected to be contained within sanitary pads. Of the 74 VOCs, 50 were found in sanitary pads retailed in Korea at concentrations ranging from 0.025 to 3548.09 µg/pad. In order to undertake a risk assessment of the VOCs, the toxicological database of these compounds in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), National Toxicology Program (NTP) and World Health Organization (WHO) was searched. Ethanol was found to exhibit the highest reference dose (RfD) while 1,2-dibromo-3-chloro-propane displayed the lowest RfD. Consequently, a worst-case exposure scenario was applied in this study. It was assumed that there was the use of 7.5 sanitary napkins/day for 7 days/month. In the case of panty liners or overnight sanitary napkins, the utilization of 90 panty liners/month or 21 overnight sanitary napkins/month was assumed, respectively. In addition, 43 kg, the body weight of 12 to 13-year-old young women, and 100% VOCs skin absorption were employed for risk assessment. The systemic exposure dose (SED) values were calculated ranging from 1.74 (1,1,2-trichloroethane) ng/kg/day to 144.4 (ethanol, absolute) µg/kg/day. Uncertainty factors (UFs) were applied ranging from 10 to 100,000 in accordance with the robustness of animal or human experiments. The margin of exposure (MOE) of 34 VOCs was more than 1 (acceptable MOE > 1). Applicable carcinogenic references reported that the cancer risk of five VOCs was below 10-6. Based on our findings, evidence indicates that the non-cancer and cancer risks associated with VOCs detected in sanitary pads currently used in South Korea do not pose an adverse health risk in women.

Reduction of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels in dried red peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) using heat pump-assisted drying.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are primarily produced during the incomplete combustion of organic matter. PAHs are suspected endocrine disruptors and possible carcinogenic materials. The major sources of human exposure to PAHs are inhaled fumes and food. The aim of this study was to provide an alternative drying method to mitigate PAH formation in dried red peppers. We prepared dried red pepper samples using air-drying and heat pump-assisted drying methods, and measured the concentrations of four PAHs (PAH4), benzo[a] anthracene (B[a]A), chrysene (CHR), benzo[b]fluoranthene (B[b]F), and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), in the resulting pepper samples. The PAH concentrations ranged from 3.61 to 18.0 µg/kg and from 2.22 to 8.35 µg/kg in the air-dried and heat pump-dried pepper samples, respectively. Overall, the results have shown that dried peppers contain PAH4, that the drying conditions for these contaminants should be optimized for mitigating the PAH formation in dried red peppers.