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.This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 773400 (SEAFOOD TOMORROW). This output reflects only the view of the author(s) and the Research Executive Agency (REA) cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. This work was also supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Project CEX2018-000794-S), the Generalitat de Catalunya (Consolidated Research Group Water and Soil Quality Unit 2017 SGR 1404), and through FEDER (Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização - COMPETE 2020), from PIDDAC through FCT/MCTES project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028708, from UID/QUI/50006/2020 with funding from FCT/MCTES. Sara C. Cunha also acknowledges FCT for the IF/01616/2015 contract. Bekolut is acknowledged for providing QuEChERS kits.Peer reviewe