Overview

• Researchers at Seoul National University of Science and Technology validated a QuEChERS extraction coupled with GC–MS to quantify eight priority PAHs in foods.
• Calibration achieved R2 values above 0.99 with limits of detection at 0.006–0.035 µg/kg and limits of quantification at 0.019–0.133 µg/kg, alongside recoveries of roughly 86–110% and precision of 0.4–6.9% across matrices.
• The workflow uses acetonitrile extraction followed by sorbent-based cleanup, delivering faster preparation with lower solvent consumption than conventional techniques.
• The study appeared online on June 5 and in the August 2025 issue of Food Science and Biotechnology, with new institutional releases highlighting its performance and applicability.
• The authors cite potential use in industrial food inspection with cost and worker-safety benefits, as press materials frame PAHs as health-relevant contaminants formed during some cooking methods or via contamination.