Scientists in South Korea have developed a faster and cleaner way to detect potentially harmful chemicals in food, raising hopes for better food safety checks in the future.
The research focuses on chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, known as PAHs, which can form during high-temperature cooking methods such as grilling, frying, smoking, and roasting.
The study was carried out by researchers from Seoul National University of Science and Technology and published in the scientific journal Food Science and Biotechnology.
Modern consumers are becoming increasingly aware of food quality and health risks. Many people carefully read nutrition labels, avoid processed foods, and try to cook healthier meals at home. However, even nutritious foods may contain unwanted contaminants that are invisible to the eye.
PAHs are among the chemicals that worry food safety researchers. These compounds can be produced when organic materials burn or are exposed to very high heat.
In food, PAHs commonly develop when meat juices and fats drip onto flames or hot surfaces during grilling, creating smoke that coats the food. Smoking processes used for fish and meats can also increase PAH levels.
Environmental pollution is another source of these compounds. PAHs may enter the food chain through air pollution, vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and contaminated soil.
Scientists are concerned because some PAHs have shown cancer-causing effects in laboratory animal studies. Although human studies have not yet fully confirmed the long-term risks from food exposure, health experts believe monitoring these chemicals remains important for public safety.
Testing food for PAHs, however, is not easy. Traditional laboratory methods can be slow, labor-intensive, and expensive. Many older testing techniques require large amounts of chemical solvents and lengthy preparation procedures before scientists can even begin analyzing samples.
To improve this process, researchers have been developing a newer approach called QuEChERS. The unusual name is actually an acronym that stands for Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe. The method was designed to make contaminant testing simpler and more practical for everyday food safety work.
In the new study, the research team led by Professor Joon-Goo Lee tested whether QuEChERS could accurately measure eight important PAHs in different foods. The scientists used acetonitrile to extract the chemicals from samples and then compared different purification strategies to improve performance.
After preparing the samples, the team used gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, advanced technologies commonly used in modern food laboratories, to identify and measure the PAHs.
The results were highly encouraging. The researchers found that the QuEChERS system produced accurate and reliable measurements across multiple food types. The method could detect extremely tiny amounts of PAHs while maintaining strong precision and consistency.
Among the foods tested, soybean oil contained the highest PAH levels. Duck meat and canola oil also showed relatively elevated levels compared to other samples.
These findings help demonstrate that PAH contamination can vary greatly depending on the type of food and how it is processed or cooked. Oils and smoked or grilled foods may be especially vulnerable because high heat and fat content can encourage the formation of these compounds.
One major advantage of the QuEChERS method is its efficiency. Compared to older testing methods, the process uses fewer hazardous chemicals and requires less manual work. This may reduce costs for laboratories and create safer working conditions for researchers and technicians.
Professor Lee explained that the method simplifies food contaminant analysis while still maintaining high detection efficiency. Researchers believe this could make routine food safety inspections faster and more practical.
The study also reflects a growing international effort to improve food contaminant testing. In other recent studies published during 2025, researchers applied modified QuEChERS methods to many different food categories.
One investigation analyzed more than 300 retail food products and found high PAH levels in smoked fish products such as Kezuribushi, as well as possible concerns related to grilled chicken feet. Another study tested cereals and cereal-based foods from Romania and found much lower contamination levels overall.
Together, these studies suggest that PAH contamination differs widely between foods and cooking styles. Smoked and grilled products generally appear more likely to contain higher levels of the compounds.
The broader importance of the research goes beyond individual food products. Faster and more accurate testing systems may help governments and food companies better monitor contamination before products reach store shelves.
Improved testing could also help scientists identify safer cooking and processing methods in the future.
At the same time, researchers caution that food safety science is always evolving. While PAHs are considered important contaminants to monitor, scientists continue studying how much exposure may be harmful over long periods and how these chemicals interact with other lifestyle factors.
The study’s findings also highlight an important public health message: food safety is not only about nutrition. How food is cooked, processed, and tested also plays a major role in protecting health.
Overall, the QuEChERS method appears to offer a promising step toward cleaner, faster, and more environmentally friendly food safety testing. As laboratories continue adopting modern technologies like this, consumers may ultimately benefit from safer food systems and improved monitoring of hidden contaminants.
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The study was published in Food Science and Biotechnology.
Source: Seoul National University of Science and Technology.
