Determination and validation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH4) in katsuobushi, plant-based food supplements, and cocoa bean shells using GC-MS/MS.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are primarily generated through the incomplete combustion or pyrolysis of organic materials in various industrial processes. Foods may become contaminated with environmental PAHs found in air, soil, or water, or through industrial food processing methods such as smoking, roasting, drying, and grilling. The Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan has established maximum levels for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and indicative values for BaP as well as PAH4 (the sum of benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo[a]pyrene) in foods as operational guidelines.

Inorganic arsenic speciation analysis in food using HPLC/ICP-MS: Method development and validation.

Arsenic (As) compounds can be classified as organic or inorganic, with inorganic arsenic (iAs) having significantly higher toxicity than organic As. As may accumulate in food materials that have been exposed to As-contaminated environments. Thus, the "Sanitation Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods" published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare set the standard limits for iAs content in rice, seaweed, seafood, and marine oils to safeguard public health.