Smoked Meat Products - Innovative Strategies for Reduction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Optimisation of the Smoking Process

The contents of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in Frankfurtertype sausages were investigated in depency on hot smoking conditions (glow smoke), type of casing, back fat content and different types of wood chips. For the smoking experiments three different types of smoke densities and ventilator velocities, three types of casings, four different back fat contents (10%, 20%, 30%, and 39%) and ten different types of wood chips were used. The smoking conditions had influence on the smoke generation temperature and the formation of PAH. The PAH contents increased with smoke density and ventilator velocity. Also the type of casing and the back fat content of Frankfurter-type sausages had an influence on the PAH contents. The use of poplar and hickory wood chips led to a decrease in the PAH contents compared to the commonly used beech wood.