Benzo(a)pyrene in olive oils on the Brazilian market

Benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), the best known of the carcinogenic PAHs, has been found at variable concentrations in several foods. In this study 40 samples of various olive oils available in Brazil were analysed for B(a)P. The analytical method involved extraction by liquid-liquid partition, clean-up on silica gel and analysis by high performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector. Benzo(a)pyrene was found in almost all samples, at levels up to 164 mu g/kg. The lowest levels of B(a)P were detected in olive oils imported from the major European countries. Olive oils imported from Europe but packed in Brazil and olive oil blended with soybean and corn oils showed relatively higher levels of B(a)P, ranging from 0.9 to 9.7 mu g/kg and from 2.2 to 9.2 mu g/kg, respectively.