Detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in cold and hot smoked Mullet fish (Mugil cephalus) products by using GC-MS.

: The aim of this study is to determine the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cold and hot smoked mullet fish obtained from two fish farms (A and B) localized at El-Fayoum Governorate, , Egypt during November 2020. It found The 5 compounds of PAHs; acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorene, fluoranthene and pyrene were detected in both cold and hot smoked fish samples from the two farms (A) and (B), while phenanthrene and anthracene were detected only in cold smoked samples from farm (A) and (B). The total PAHs in the cold and hot smoked Mullet fish samples obtained from farm (A) were 42.9 and 12.1 μg/kg, respectively, while in cold and hot smoked samples obtained from farm (B) were 32.1 and 11.2 µg/kg, respectively. Benzo (a) pyrene (BaP) compound that considered as indicator for carcinogenic PAHs was not detected in both cold and hot smoked Mullet fish. Also, PAH4; benzo (a) pyrene, benzo (a) anthracene, benzo (b)fluoranthene and chrysene did not detected in both the cold and hot smoked Mullet fish. Categories of PAHs concentration are considered a minimally contaminated (10 to 99 µg/kg) compared with the maximum recommended levels. Based on our results, it could be concluded that Benzo (a) pyrene compound was not detectable in all smoked samples which are considered as a safe product for consumption.