Charcoal Grill Briquettes (PAH Smoke)

Fat dripping onto hot charcoal, coating food in smoke.

59Moderate burden · out of 100

Cleaner swapLump charcoal or gas, and avoid charring the food

How this score is built

100Start
77Chemical hazard 5 × 4.6−23
66.8Everyday exposure 3 × 3.4−10.2
59Persistence 3 × 2.6−7.8
ModerateThe band59 sits in 40–59.

What each input rests on

The three ratings behind the score, and the studies each rests on
Input	Rating	Evidence
Chemical hazard	5/10	unsourced input
Everyday exposure	3/10	Removing meat drippings during charcoal grilling cut the sum of four PAHs, including benzo[a]pyrene, in pork and beef by 48% to 89%, and removing the smoke cut it by 41% to 74%; smoke from fat dripping onto the fire was the main source. Effects of grilling procedures on levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in grilled meats · Food Chem 2016 DOI 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.12.017 · PMID 26776018 · Abstract · read 2026-10-21
Persistence	3/10	unsourced input

Ratings are editorial. A study listed here supports the rating; it did not compute it. How the index is built

What this means for you

Flare-ups and heavy smoke deposit polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on grilled food. Lower heat, trimming fat and avoiding charring reduce how much forms.

Evidence strength: strong

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Lower-exposure choices

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