Extraction of heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from pork jerky and the effect of flavoring on formation and inhibition

Heterocyclic amines (HAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widely distributed in foods. This study aims to extract PAHs and HAs from pork jerky simultaneously by QuEChERS for analysis by GC-MS/MS and UPLC-MS/MS, respectively. Also, the effects of flavoring materials and processing temperature on the for-mation of PAHs and HAs were studied. Acetonitrile containing 1% acetic acid possessed the highest extraction efficiency, with high accuracy and precision being attained for HAs and PAHs. Pork jerky roasted at 220 degrees C generated a higher PAHs content than 180 degrees C, but unaffected the HAs formation. Addition of sugar reduced formation of both HAs and PAHs during roasting, while soy sauce reduced some PAHs and promoted HAs for-mation. Incorporation of 0.5% curcuma or cinnamon powder inhibited HA formation with a more pronounced effect being shown by the latter, but neither inhibited PAH formation. The correlation between HA and PAH formation was assessed by principle component analysis.