Development of innovative technology reducing the levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in grilled meat and smoked fish

Meat and fish are mainly processed in Benin by grilling, smoking and smoking-drying. Recent studies revealed that traditional equipments led to high contamination of end-products by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study aimed to assess the performances of new equipments and reduce the level of PAHs in endproducts. Thirty-six controlled production trials were performed using three improved and new equipments in combination with charcoal and wood as fuel. The temperature at the core of grilled pork (77.5 +/- 3.8 degrees C) and smoked fish (76.4 +/- 2.8 degrees C) showed the highest thermal efficiency of QUALISANI equipment (FAQ) used with charcoal compared to other combinations fuel-equipment. The benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) (0.2 +/- 0.1-1.9 +/- 2.1 mu g/ Kg) and sum of PAH4 (2.4 +/- 0.2 mu g/Kg) in grilled pork obtained with FAQ-charcoal used with or without filter were the lowest levels of PAHs in compliance with Beninese and European standards. Smoked and smoked-dried fishes obtained from FAQ-charcoal with or without filter, FAQ-wood-filter, and the modified barrel kiln (FBM) used with charcoal-filter had ranges of BaP (0.1-0.2 mu g/Kg) and PAH4 (0.4-2.9 mu g/Kg) significantly lower than the maximal limited values of 2 mu g/Kg (BaP) and 12 mu g/Kg (PAH4) admitted by European Commission.