Health risks assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in meat kebabs through meta-analysis and Monte Carlo simulation

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are included in various everyday food products, prompting worries over their possible detrimental effects on human health. This study aimed to estimate the health risks associated with PAH contamination in meat kebabs using a comprehensive meta-analysis and probabilistic risk assessment framework. The researchers collected information on PAH levels in meat kebabs (cooked by barbecuing, grilling, broiling, or smoking) from 42 studies found in well-known databases like Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, covering the years from 2011 to October 2023. Furthermore, health risks were assessed through chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and incremental lifetime cancer risk (LTCR), with uncertainty analyzed utilizing Monte Carlo simulation (MCS, 10,000 iterations). The investigation revealed that meat kebabs were made using barbecuing (7.4 %), broiling (11.2 %), smoking (25.7 %), and grilling (55.7 %) techniques. The highest average concentrations were observed for pyrene (Pyr: 359.32 µg/kg) and naphthalene (Nap: 263.20 µg/kg), while benzo[a]pyrene exhibited a lower mean concentration (BaP: 1.79 µg/kg). Risk assessment indicated that HQ values for some PAHs, particularly BaP (1.× 10²) and Nap (3.93), exceeded the threshold of 1, indicating possible non-carcinogenic effects at high intake levels. However, LTCR values for all PAHs remained below 1 × 10⁻⁶, indicating negligible lifetime cancer risk according to USEPA guidelines. According to the results, although meat kebabs may pose a non-carcinogenic concern at elevated intake levels, the lifetime cancer risk appears within acceptable limits. These findings highlight the importance of promoting safer cooking techniques and public awareness to mitigate exposure to PAHs through dietary sources.