According to the Scientific Committee on Food, benzo(a)pyrene can be used as a marker for the occurrence and effect of carcinogenic PAH in food, including also benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(j)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(g,h,i)perylene, chrysene, cyclopenta(c,d)pyrene, dibenz(a,h)anthracene, dibenzo(a,e)pyrene, dibenzo(a,h)pyrene, dibenzo(a,i)pyrene, dibenzo(a,l)pyrene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene and 5-methylchrysene.
Nach dem Wissenschaftlichen Lebensmittelausschuss kann Benzo(a)pyren als Marker verwendet werden, um Auftreten und Wirkung karzinogener PAK in Lebensmitteln zu ermitteln; dies gilt auch für Benz(a)anthracen, Benzo(b)fluoranthen, Benzo(j)fluoranthen, Benzo(k)fluoranthen, Benzo(g,h,i)perylen, Chrysen, Cyclopenta(c,d)pyren, Dibenzo(a,h)anthracen, Dibenzo(a,e)pyren, Dibenzo(a,h)pyren, Dibenzo(a,i)pyren, Dibenzo(a,l)pyren, Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyren und 5-Methylchrysen.