The　pollution　of　polycyclic　aromatic　hydrocarbons（PAHs）in　fine　particulate　matter（PM2.5）from　catering　sources　is　closely　related　to　human　health.　However，existing　studies　have　not　yet　clarified　the　actual　pollution　status　of　PAHs　from　catering　sources　and　their　differentiated　health　risks　among　populations　in　Handan.　Focusing　on　11　typical　catering　enterprises　in　Handan，this　study　analyzed　the　pollution　characteristics　of　16　types　of　PAHs　under　EPA　optimal　control　from　catering　sources　based　on　gas　chromatography-triple　quadrupole　mass　spectrometry.　Dividing　the　population　into　10　groups　based　on　age　and　gender，we　used　Monte　Carlo　simulation　to　evaluate　the　differentiated　health　risks　of　PAHs　from　catering　sources　based　on　the　daily　intake　assessment　model　and　the　incremental　lifetime　carcinogenic　risk（ILCR）model.　The　results　showed　that　the　total　mass　concentration　range　of　PAHs　in　PM2.5　from　catering　sources　was　0.04-0.24　µg·m−3.　From　a　composition　perspective，the　average　proportion　of　benzo［ghi］perylene（18.0%），pyrene　（17.8%），and　phenanthrene（12.8%）was　relatively　high.　From　a　structural　perspective，the　proportion　of　4-ring　PAHs（29.2%-52.4%）was　the　highest.　The　mass　concentration　range　of　benzo［a］pyrene（BaP）in　PM2.5　from　catering　sources　was　0.001-0.011　µg·m−3，which　was　higher　than　the　World　Health　Organization　limit　and　partially　higher　than　China’s　annual　average　mass　concentration　limit　for　environmental　BaP.　The　PAHs　emitted　from　the　western　restaurant　and　barbecue　restaurant　were　most　likely　to　pose　a　carcinogenic　risk　to　the　population，with　ILCR　ranges　of　0.67×10−6-0.19×10−4　and　0.56×10−6-0.16×10−4，respectively.　Exposed　to　the　same　PM2.5　from　catering　sources，the　order　of　carcinogenic　risk　for　different　age　groups　was：children＞adolescents＞youth＞middle-aged＞elderly，and　there　was　a　weak　gender　difference　in　carcinogenic　risk　among　the　same　age　group.　Approximately　30%-40%　of　children　and　5%-15%　of　adolescents　may　face　a　higher　carcinogenic　risk　than　the　entire　adult　population，and　about　15%-25%　of　children　may　face　a　higher　carcinogenic　risk　than　that　of　other　populations.　Under　lifelong　exposure，the　average　value　of　life　loss　expectancy（LL）caused　by　PAHs　in　PM2.5　from　catering　sources　to　the　population　ranged　from　1.2　to　24.1　minutes，with　that　of　the　western　restaurant　being　1.2　times　that　of　the　barbecue　restaurant　and　1.7　times　that　of　northeastern　cuisine.　The　research　results　have　made　up　for　the　shortcomings　of　existing　research　regarding　the　vague　understanding　of　the　actual　pollution　status　of　catering　sources　in　Handan　and　the　relatively　single　population　classifications　for　health　risk　assessment.　It　has　also　proposed　prevention　and　control　measures　for　key　catering　sources　and　populations　and　can　provide　comprehensive　and　detailed　data　support　for　the　assessment　of　PAHs　in　PM2.5　of　catering　sources　on　differentiated　health　risks　among　populations　and　the　reduction　and　control　of　particulate　matter　pollution　from　catering　sources　in　Handan.　©　2025　Science　Press.　All　rights　reserved.