Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was used to study polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in smoked cheeses. Two types of fiber coatings and different extraction conditions were tested. The results reveal that the use of an 85-microm polyacrylate fiber immersed in the headspace of the samples at 70 degrees C for 60 min is suitable for the detection of PAH with no more than 4 aromatic rings. To determine if a relationship can be established between the results obtained using a solvent extraction technique and HS-SPME, 6 samples of smoked cheese previously studied by a solvent extraction method were analyzed by HS-SPME, and the results obtained by both methodologies were compared. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were identified and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry operating in selective ion monitoring mode. Among the PAH determined by the solvent extraction method, only those with 4 aromatic rings or less were detected by HS-SPME and, consequently, this technique does not allow one to determine the PAH content of smoked cheese samples under the conditions of the study. Nevertheless, the relationship between the results obtained by both techniques for some PAH revealed that HS-SPME could be useful as a screening method to distinguish among samples with different degrees of PAH contamination.