The Impact of Fat Contents and Different Cooking Processes on the Potential Health Concerns of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Chicken Doner Kebabs

This study investigated the effects of different fat contents and cooking techniques on the presence of PAHs in chicken doner kebabs, as well as the dietary exposure and potential health risks for the Turkish population. The methodology for the detection and quantification of 16 PAH compounds in chicken doner samples using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV) was validated. The limit of detection (LOD), quantification (LOQ), recovery, and relative standard deviation (RSD) were found to be 0.44%–1.14%, 1.45%–3.56%, 63.12%–101.50%, and 0.14%–3.16%, respectively. Our findings revealed that, among the analyzed compounds, BaA was the most dominant PAH compound, and that the charcoal cooking technique resulted in the highest accumulation of both BaP and PAH4 concentrations in chicken doner kebabs. Additionally, a significant increase in PAH levels was observed in relation to higher fat content. Moreover, it was found that the estimated daily intake (EDI) of BaP and PAH4 was higher in charcoal-grilled, well-done, high-fat chicken doner samples. As a result, the fact that the Margin of Exposure (MOE) values calculated for chicken doner samples across the Turkish population are above 10,000 indicates a low level of concern.