Influence of traditional smoking on the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in dry fermented beef sausage from Serbia

This study examined the safety of dry fermented beef sausage (Sjenicki sudzuk), produced and smoked in traditional conditions, from PAH point of view and the possibility of PAH reduction in this type of traditional product. The contents of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, from Environmental Protection Agency list (16 US-EPA PAH), and instrumental colour characteristics in nine groups of sausages, smoked at different distance from source of smoke (2 m - A, D, and G groups; 3 m - C, F, and I groups; 4-5 m - B, E, and H groups) were determined. Results of this study showed that sausages smoked in traditional condition at distance of 2 m from the fire had significantly (p < 0.05) the highest contents of 16 US-EPA PAHs (D group -2065.74 mu g/kg; G group - 2556.44 mu g/kg) and PAH4 - sum of benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[b]fluoranthene (D group - 7.31 mu g/kg; G group - 7.42 mu g/kg), while the sausages smoked at distance of 4-5 m had significantly (p < 0.05) the lowest contents of 16 US-EPA PAHs (B group - 342.92 mu g/kg; E group - 739.41 mu g/kg) and PAH4 (lower than limit of detection). These results indicated safety of this traditional meat product, considering EU Regulation 835/2011 criteria for PAH content and pointed out that distance of 4-5 m between smoke sours and dry fermented beef sausages influenced on significant reduction of 16 US-EPA PAH compounds content. The second part of this study showed that sausages with the highest content of PAH didn't have the highest total color change (Delta E) or total lightness change (Delta L*). Therefore, it could not be concluded that fermented beef sausage with lighter surface colour has lower PAH content, compared with darker sausages.