[Benzo(a)pyrene content of grain and the products of its processing]

The content of benz(a)pyrene (BP) was studied in the grain, different sorts of flour and in talkan, a Kazakh national food product, prepared from fried grain. It was found that the grain contained 0.33 micrograms/kg of BP, flour--33-58% of that in the grain. The carcinogen content in flour varied with its kind: the highest BP concentration was detected in rye flour, the lowest--in high-quality wheat flour. In talkan, prepared from fried wheat, the content of BP was twice as much compared to the non-fried wheat, due to the intensity of frying. A man, who makes use of talkan during his life, may receive a significant amount of BP which can be conducive to raising the incidence of tumors of the digestive organs, especially of the esophagus.