Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present in many foodstuffs such as cereals, vegetable oils, coffee and home-made dishes - often generated during cooking, smoking or drying - or in fish and seafood from polluted waters. Cooking methods, such as grilling, roasting and smoking, and particularly the preparation of food grilled or roasted over charcoal, can result in high levels of PAHs.