Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Vietnamese takeaway coffee: effects of coffee variety, roasting temperature and time

Abstract

The research goal was to estimate the level of risk to human health posed by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Vietnamese takeaway coffee. A variety of roasted coffee beans were collected and tested for the presence of PAHs in various takeaway locations throughout Vietnam. Furthermore, the effect of roasting conditions on PAH concentrations in Vietnamese Robusta coffee was also studied and demonstrated. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, a modern, accurate, and fast method, was used to determine the research results. Six PAHs, namely naphthalene, anthracene, pyrene, fluorene, phenanthrene, and benz[a]anthracene, were found in the 100 collected samples, with average concentrations (μg/kg dry weight) of 943.7 ± 40.3, 195.1 ± 4.9, 36.1 ± 1.1, 33.3 ± 2.2, 28.2 ± 1.7, and 2.0 ± 0.1, respectively. It was found that the tested samples were almost free of PAH4 contamination. The research showed that the total value of PAH quantifications in Robusta coffee increased with increasing roasting temperature and decreased with increasing roasting time. In addition, the calculated value of the total hazard quotient (THQ) was less than 1, and the obtained value of the incremental lifetime carcinogenic risk (ILCR) did not exceed 1·10⁻⁵, meaning that coffee consumers in Vietnam are safe from exposure to PAHs present in the investigated coffee beans.

Keywords:

• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• takeaway coffee
• health risk assessment
• gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer
• carcinogens

Acknowledgments

Sincere thanks to the Institute of Environmental Technology’s leadership for providing the best conditions for research equipment and to the members of the Center for Environmental Technology in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) for assisting the research team during the experiment.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Institute of Environmental Technology, Vietnam, under project number CS.05/22-22.