Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cachaças packed in bottles of polyethylene terephthalate

Abstract Cachaça is a beverage of great cultural and economic importance for Brazil. It is made up of several substances that are responsible for the flavor of the beverage. Countless substances of a toxic nature can also be present, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These contaminants are commonly found in beverages and food. They have been studied because their toxicity is related to their mutagenic and carcinogenic properties, and they pose a risk to human health. The PAHs can be formed in cachaça during different stages of processing. In this work, the presence of PAHs (naphthalene, acenaphene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, acephenylene, and benzo[a]pyrene) was investigated during the storage of the beverage in plastic containers. Thus, samples from five producers of cachaça in the state of Minas Gerais were stored for up to 8 months in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging from three different manufacturers. Samples stored for 4 and 8 months were analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography, and 10 PAHs (naphthalene, acenaphene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, acephenylene, and benzo[a]pyrene) were identified and quantified. An increase in PAH concentration in cachaça samples with the storage time in plastic containers was observed. The three different packages contributed to the contamination of the cachaça samples with different PAHs. The highest concentration (approximately 11.0 µg L –1 ) of fluorene was observed in sample A from the three packages and during the two storage times. Thus, it can be inferred that the storage of cachaça in bottles of PET is inadequate for maintaining the quality of the beverage. Practical Application Therefore, it can be inferred from the results of the analysis that PET packages are sources of PAHs, and the storage time in these packages contributed to the increase in the concentration of these contaminants in the beverage. These results suggest that a review of the legislation regarding the use of PET packaging for beverage storage is necessary, as these compounds are carcinogenic.