Effect of processing smoked salmon on contaminant contents

The influence of the type of smoking process (natural/liquid; hot/cold) and salt (NaCl or KCl) on the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in smoked salmon was evaluated. One parent compound - BDE 47 - and two methoxylated forms - 2′-MeO-BDE-68 and 6-MeO-BDE-47 - were detected in all the samples. Among the 14 PAHs analysed, naphthalene was the most abundant followed by phenanthrene and fluorene. Only smoked salmon treated with NaCl presented quantifiable levels of chrysene and benzo[b]fluoranthene. Among the four smoking processes evaluated, natural smoke led to higher levels of PAHs. Risk characterization tools, such as hazard index (HI) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), showed that the risk of both PBDEs and PAHs to human health through the consumption of smoked salmon was very low.