Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coffee: Occurrence, estimation of exposure dose, and characterization of risk to human health

• Grant number: 25/03026-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Marília Cristina Oliveira Souza
• Grantee: Sofia Marino Batista
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/06443-0 - Bioavailability and bioaccessibility of pesticides and legacy pollutants in food: a public health risk assessment and creation of a risk-benefit tool for Brazilian consumers, AP.GR

Abstract

Over the years, the potential increase in industrial and agricultural activities and animal production has occurred to meet the growing demand for food due to the increase in the world's population. However, this increase is not associated with providing food free from environmental pollutants. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are compounds formed by joining two or more aromatic rings, ubiquitous, coming from natural and/or anthropogenic sources, environmentally persistent, and frequently detected in foods. Due to their toxicological profile, 16 PAHs were regulated by the US EPA as priority pollutants, making them a cause for concern for human health and the environment. In this sense, adopting systematic assessment programs for the chemical composition of foods is fundamental to ensuring food safety. Worldwide, the development of toxicological reference values in foods is an area of ongoing scientific investigation. However, in Brazil, this data is still scarce. Human exposure to these compounds reflects combined exposure through several routes, and many studies have demonstrated that oral ingestion is a very important route for most organic pollutants. Therefore, the main objective of this proposal is to determine the levels of PAHs in roasted coffee beans marketed in the five regions of Brazil. Furthermore, calculate Brazilians' estimated doses of PAH exposure through ingestion of these foods and the risk assessment of these exposures. The present study aims to meet Brazil's need to guarantee the food security of our population through extensive knowledge of the quality of food consumed with regard to environmental pollutants, as well as providing subsidies for future public health programs in the toxicological field.