Heterocyclic amines (HAs) are mutagenic compounds produced in protein-rich foods during high-temperature cooking, with several classified as Group 2 A (2-amino-3-methylimidazo4,5-fquinoline (IQ)) or Group 2B carcinogens. This study quantified eight priority HAs in 186 fast-food meat and egg products from Shanghai using UPLC-MS/MS and evaluated probabilistic dietary exposure via Monte Carlo simulation. Carcinogenic risk was specifically assessed for IQ due to the availability of its established oral slope factor. The results showed that livestock and poultry meat contained the highest HA levels (mean 36.94 ng/g), followed by aquatic products (14.24 ng/g) and eggs (8.55 ng/g). Harman and Norharman were the most abundant HAs, as supported by principal component analysis (PCA). Primary and secondary school students had the highest daily intake (DI) of HAs from livestock meat (5569.949 ng/day) and eggs (383.760 ng/day), whereas adults showed the highest DI from aquatic products (857.188 ng/day). The chronic daily intake (CDI) of HAs ranked as follows: livestock and poultry consumers > aquatic product consumers > egg consumers. Within the limitation that the carcinogenic risk assessment was confined solely to IQ, the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for IQ remained below 10 -4 , suggesting a low concern for public health managers under current exposure conditions. • HAs were most abundant in livestock and poultry meat, followed by aquatic products and eggs. • Harman and norharman were the predominant HAs across most samples. • Multivariate statistical analysis revealed underlying patterns and key relationships. • Among age groups, adults exhibited the highest daily intake (DI) of HAs from aquatic products. • The carcinogenic risk assessment of IQ indicated Shanghai population was negligible.
Wang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.