Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in traditional smoked dairy products from Campania (Italy)

Abstract

The smoked mozzarella and caciocavallo cheeses occupy a significant area among the traditional products
in the Campania region. Smoked and non-smoked mozzarella and caciocavallo cheeses were screened for
the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Total PAH concentration in non-smoked mozzarella
ranged from 59.11 to 160.05 μg kg-1 wet weight (w.w.) and in that smoked from 67.49 to 399.90 μg kg-1 w.w.
The total PAH content in non-smoked caciocavallo was between 36.70 and 248.59 μg kg-1 w.w.; in the
smoked cheese, it varied from 72.52 to 1643.18 μg kg-1 w.w. The benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) values in all cheeses
smoked by liquid smoke were higher than the permissible limit for BaP of 0.03 μg kg-1 for foods aromatised
with liquid smoke.