This study integrated molecular networking (MN) with non-targeted analytical method for rapidly identification of unknown migrants from disposable aluminum food container coatings as prepared dishes package under high-temperature conditions. MN clustered and annotated migrants based on spectral similarity and common fragments, while reducing data redundancy and false-positive assignments. Using this workflow, 31 migrants were rapidly characterized classified into two groups: bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE)-based epoxy resin oligomers and p-tert-butylphenolic resin oligomers. As some unknown migrants were derivatives of oligomers, their identification was refined using feature fragment observed in the MS/MS spectra. Structural elucidation was further confirmed by collision cross-section (CCS) values, which exhibited consistent trend lines within the same type of oligomers and their derivatives. Quantitative analysis indicated that high temperature promotes the migration of substances and the generation of derivatives. A preliminary risk assessment based on the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) revealed that the estimated exposure levels of 15 compounds exceeded their corresponding TTC thresholds, highlighting an urgent need for further toxicological data and risk assessment focused on these oligomers.

L-Ergothioneine (L-EGT), a naturally occurring thiol compound abundant mainly in edible fungi, is increasingly regarded as a potentially beneficial bioactive constituent. However, population-level exposure data remain limited. This study aimed to estimate background dietary exposure to L-EGT among Chinese residents, describe its distribution across population subgroups and regions, identify major food contributors, and characterize the risk using a margin of exposure (MOE) approach. Individual body-weight-normalized L-EGT intakes were estimated from published food concentration data and three-day dietary recalls of 42,218 participants. MOEs were calculated using a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 800 mg/kg bw/d obtained from subchronic toxicity studies. The mean dietary exposure to L-EGT was 0.043 mg/kg bw/d (MOE = 18,605) in the general population and 0.174 mg/kg bw/d (MOE = 4598) among consumers, with 95th percentile exposures of 0.244 mg/kg bw/d (MOE = 3279) and 0.644 mg/kg bw/d (MOE = 1242), respectively. MOE values were consistently above the safety threshold of 300 across all subgroups, with less than 0.3% of the total population and 1.3% of consumers aged 3-6 years falling below this value. These results indicate that current natural dietary exposure to L-EGT in China is low and does not raise safety concerns and provide essential baseline data for future studies on its health effects, optimal intake ranges, and long-term safety.

The full chain of prepared dishes involves hot filling into the package and high-temperature steaming with packaging, which may lead to more migrants from the package into the prepared dishes due to the high temperature. This study focused on the safety of the prepared dishes packaging. First, migration tests were designed to fully simulate the entire contact process between polyethylene terephthalate/aluminium foil/polyamide/retort cast polypropylene (PET/Al/PA/RCPP) composite films packaging pouches and prepared dishes throughout the full chain, based on GB 31604.1-2023. A comparison was made with room temperature simulation tests to investigate the effects of high temperature on migrants. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) were used for the non-target screening of the migrants. A total of 17 non-volatile compounds were identified in the full-chain simulation, while only seven were detected in the room temperature simulation. Especially, the oligomers of inner polyamide 6 (PA 6) migrated through the RCPP layer into the simulants. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were employed to visualize differences in migrants between the full-chain and room temperature simulation. Based on the quantitative analysis, risk assessment was conducted. Ethylene glycol adipate cyclic oligomers exceeded the toxicological concern threshold under full-chain simulation, necessitating more refined risk assessment approaches. These results confirm that high temperature promotes the migration of substances from the packaging, suggesting that prepared dishes should avoid hot filling in the future. If conditions allow, consumers had better not heat them in their packaging to minimize exposure to migrants.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the potential health risks of the food additive aspartame to the Chinese population.MethodsHazard assessment was conducted through literature retrieval and analysis. Based on the maximum usage level of aspartame specified in national standards， combined with the National Food and Beverage Consumption Survey of Chinese residents， the theoretical daily exposure was calculated using the simple distribution assessment method.ResultsToxicological data indicated that aspartame was classified as practically non-toxic in terms of acute toxicity， with no evidence of genotoxicity， neurotoxicity， or reproductive and developmental toxicity. The no-observed-adverse-effect levels （NOAELs） in animal chronic toxicity tests were 4 000 mg/（kg·BW）. Most carcinogenicity assessment studies yielded negative results， with the exception for a few animal studies with methodological limitations. Human epidemiological studies have not yet found a clear association between aspartame and cancer. Based on rat chronic toxicity tests， the acceptable daily intake （ADI） was determined to be 0-40 mg/（kg·BW）. Exposure assessment results showed that the average daily theoretical exposure of aspartame for the general Chinese population was 2.89 mg/（kg·BW）， which is well below the ADI. The exposure for high-intake consumers （P95） was 13.29 mg/（kg·BW）， accounting for only 33.22% of the ADI. The P95 exposure for populations in all gender and age groups were lower than the ADI.ConclusionThere is insufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity of aspartame to humans， and the available scientific evidence supports the safety of aspartame when used in accordance with regulations. The health risks posed by aspartame intake in the Chinese population are within acceptable limits.

Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine-disrupting chemical, is widely used in plastics and resins. It migrates into food and drinking water from food contact material and is also released into environmental media such as air and dust. Consequently, human exposure occurs not only via dietary intake but also through dermal contact and inhalation. We conducted an aggregated exposure assessment by integrating dietary and non-dietary exposure sources. Dietary exposure was estimated based on data from the China Food Consumption Surveys and scenario assumptions, while non-dietary exposure incorporated sources from environmental media (air, dust) and consumer products such as toys, skincare products, and thermal paper. In different age-gender groups, the mean and 95th percentile (P95) dietary exposure levels ranged from 145.39 to 332.47 ng/kg BW and 300.00 to 706.61 ng/kg BW, respectively; the mean and P95 aggregated exposure levels ranged from 157.98 to 432.04 ng/kg BW and 332.04 to 1661.79 ng/kg BW, respectively. Both the dietary and aggregated exposure levels were lower than the temporary tolerable daily intake (4 μg/kg BW) previously established, suggesting a low health risk of dietary BPA exposure and a low level of aggregated BPA exposure in the population of China. Therefore, based on current exposure levels, BPA is not a priority concern for public health in China.

Malathion (MLT) is an organophosphate pesticide widely used worldwide. Due to its environmental persistence and accumulation in living organisms, concerns have been raised regarding its potential health effects beyond the classical mechanism of cholinergic inhibition, particularly its impact on immune function. In this study, we aimed to systematically evaluate the immunotoxicity of MLT in mice and identify the lowest-observed-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) for immunotoxic effects. Key parameters assessed included body and organ weights, hematological and clinical chemistry profiles, histopathological changes, and immune function indicators. The results showed that exposure to MLT, particularly at low and intermediate doses, led to a significant increase in thymus weight, along with marked reductions in interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels, neutrophils, polychromatic erythroblasts, and monocyte lineage cells. Histological examination revealed atrophy of splenic white pulp, indicating immunopathological alterations predominantly at these dose levels. In contrast, immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels increased in a dose-dependent manner, possibly reflecting a compensatory humoral response to the observed suppression of cellular immune components. Meanwhile, the plaque-forming cell (PFC) response exhibited a dose-dependent trend but was significantly inhibited only at the highest dose, suggesting a complex, non-linear effect on humoral immunity. Based on significant alterations in thymus weight, cellular immune parameters, and splenic histopathology observed at the lowest dose tested (16 mg/kg bw), this value was preliminarily identified as the LOAEL for MLT-induced immunotoxicity in mice.

Cultured meat, a promising alternative meat product produced through in vitro cultivation of animal cells, faces a potential risk of genetic instability throughout its production process. Genotoxicity is one of the primary mechanisms driving the genetic instability. Therefore, evaluating the genotoxicity hazard posed by multiple exogenous additives is essential. To address this, we developed a robust analytical framework to prioritize additive genotoxicity hazards. Predictions from four (Q)SAR platforms (QSAR Toolbox, VEGA, T.E.S.T., Toxtree) were integrated with experimental evidence (Ames, micronucleus, and chromosomal aberration assays) compiled from EPA CompTox and OECD databases. Following uniform data coding, the Entropy Weight Method and CRITIC assigned composite weights of 0.4093 to predictions and 0.5907 to experimental data. Sensitivity analysis confirmed framework robustness (α ∈ [0.4, 0.7]), and external validation demonstrated exceptional discriminative performance (accuracy = 0.9625, AUC = 0.9788). To demonstrate practical applicability, 14 exogenous additives in porcine cell-cultured meat samples were quantified via LC-MS/MS. Integrating these residue data into a "hazard-residue" four-quadrant analysis identified sodium pyruvate in Quadrant I (high hazard–high residue) as the highest–priority risk substance. Furthermore, streptomycin was assigned to Quadrant II (high hazard–low residue), while hypoxanthine and putrescine fell into Quadrant III (low hazard–high residue) due to process enrichment. This study provides an evidence-based strategy for prioritization, targeted testing, and tiered regulatory decisions regarding the genotoxicity hazards of exogenous additives in cultured meat production, as well as the safety screening of other emerging novel food technologies involving complex additive matrices.

Abstract: Cultured meat, a promising alternative meat product produced through in vitro cultivation of animal cells, faces genetic instability as a pivotal safety concern throughout its production process. Therefore, evaluating the effect of multiple exogenous additives on genetic instability is essential. This study developed multi-source (quantitative) structure–activity relationship ((Q)SAR) prediction methods and objective weighting strategies to prioritize the genetic instability effects of 43 common additives in cultured meat systems. Since genotoxicity is a key driver of genetic instability, hazard prediction primarily utilized Ames mutagenicity models from QSAR Toolbox, VEGA, T.E.S.T., and Toxtree. Concurrently, experimental evidence (e.g., Ames, micronucleus, and chromosomal aberration assays) was compiled from EPA CompTox and OECD databases. These datasets were integrated to generate uniformly coded QSAR prediction scores () and experimental evidence scores (). Comprehensive weighting was performed using the Entropy Weight Method and Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC), with assigned weights of 0.4093 and 0.5907, respectively. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the framework's robustness. Validated on an independent set (n = 80), the framework demonstrated high discriminative performance (Accuracy = 0.9625; AUC = 0.9788). Ultimately, 1,2-dichloroethane was identified as high-priority, while seven others (e.g., formaldehyde, nickel chloride, and streptomycin) were classified as medium-priority. The framework was applied to real cultured meat samples, incorporating residue measurements to refine the ranking. This study provides an evidence-based strategy for prioritization, targeted testing, and tiered regulatory decisions regarding the genetic instability effects of exogenous additives in cultured meat production.

With the widespread coexistence of multiple food additives, their combined exposure has raised increasing health concerns. This study used high-content imaging to investigate the individual and combined effects of five common food additives on lipid metabolism in HepG2, Caco-2, and Jurkat T cells. In HepG2 and Caco-2 cells, all additives dose-dependently induced lipid and free cholesterol accumulation; by contrast, Jurkat T cells exhibited only sporadic statistical differences without biologically relevant dose-dependent effects. Notably, lipid droplet accumulation appeared as a relatively early and readily detectable response, though its suitability as a definitive biomarker of metabolic disturbance warrants further validation. Combined-exposure experiments, conducted in HepG2 and Caco-2 cells, revealed cell-specific interaction patterns: additive interactions dominated in HepG2 cells, while sodium benzoate and sodium cyclamate showed synergistic disruption in Caco-2 cells. These results provide in vitro evidence that multi-component combined exposure causes cell-specific lipid-related perturbations not fully captured by single-additive assessment, suggesting that mixture toxicity models should be incorporated to improve food safety evaluation.

(1) Background: Hot pot bases are susceptible to phthalate (PAE) contamination due to their high lipid content. Standard risk models often fail to capture extreme values, leading to biased exposure estimates. This study characterized dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) contamination using a hybrid modeling framework to ensure precise risk profiling. (2) Methods: A total of 91 samples were analyzed via GC-MS. Concentration data were fitted using traditional parametric, extreme value mixture (EVMM), and finite mixture models. Probabilistic dietary risks were assessed for Chinese demographic groups using 10,000-iteration Monte Carlo simulations. (3) Results: DEHP (detection rate: 55%) and DBP (32%) were best modeled by a two-component Gamma mixture and a Lognormal-Generalized Pareto distribution, respectively. These advanced models significantly outperformed conventional distributions in capturing upper-tail extremes. Crucially, all hazard quotients (HQs) remained below the safety threshold of 1, indicating acceptable risk, although children aged 7-13 exhibited the highest calculated risk (Max DEHP HQ = 0.68). (4) Conclusions: Although current exposure levels are within safe limits, the heavy-tailed distributions identify potential sporadic high-exposure events that traditional models overlook, specifically highlighting the relative vulnerability of children aged 7-13. This study validates that hybrid statistical approaches offer superior precision for analyzing skewed contamination data. Consequently, these findings provide a critical scientific basis for refining regulatory monitoring and implementing targeted source-tracking measures to mitigate long-tail food safety risks.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the status of research， development， and production of alternative protein products in China， in order to propose evidence-based regulatory and policy recommendations.MethodsAn industry survey was conducted to analyze the types of alternative protein products and compare their production processes. Based on this， science-based management policy suggestions for China were formulated.ResultsThe alternative protein produced by 40 surveyed enterprises included cell-cultivated meat， microbial protein， algae protein， insect protein， and plant protein. Significant process variations were observed that cell-cultivated meat focused on cell selection and proliferation， microbial proteins and algae proteins emphasized fermentation， while insect proteins and plant proteins prioritized extraction technologies. Specifically， a case-by-case approval is recommended for cell-cultivated meat. In contrast， microbial， algal， and insect proteins， with their more established technologies， can be regulated under novel food requirements based on their intended uses. Certain plant-based alternative proteins can be regulated as conventional foods.ConclusionWhile alternative proteins are managed as novel food under Chinese regulatory frameworks， the development of category-specific application guidelines and evaluation criteria is necessary to facilitate sustainable and high-standard industry growth.

Objective The combined use of food preservatives and other functional additives in China was analyzed,and the exposure assessment and cumulative risk assessment based on the detection content were carried out for the combination of common preservatives and other functional additives.Methods According to the combined use data of preservatives and other functional additives in food in China in the Global New Products Database,the food safety monitoring data from 2015 to 2023,and the food consumption data of Chinese residents from 2018 to 2020,a simple distribution model was used to calculate the exposure of common preservatives and other functional additives in the general Chinese population,and the cumulative risk assessment was performed using the Hazard index(HI)method.Results Among the combinations of preservatives and other functional additives used in China,the highest utilization rate is the four-component combination(18.78%),followed by the three-component combination(17.31%)and the five-component combination(15.97%),and the most complex instances containing up to thirteen-different components.Considering the risk of exposure to food additives alone,the average daily exposure and daily P95 exposure of sodium benzoate,sodium cyclamate,saccharin sodium and tartrazine in the general population were much lower than their acceptable daily intake.The cumulative risk assessment based on the detection content found that only one individual's HI was greater than 1 in the use of ternary or quaternary combinations,and the proportion of individuals with HI greater than 1 in the quinary combination was only 0.08%.Conclusion The population health risks of common ternary,quaternary and quinary food preservatives combined with other functional additives in China remain within acceptable levels.Future studies should further clarify the application scenarios of additives and investigate the synergistic and antagonistic effects between different additives within complex systems,so as to enable a more accurate assessment and prediction of the cumulative risk of food additives.

ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the protein nutritional quality of cultured meat， clarify its digestibility， absorption efficiency and amino acid matching degree， and provide a scientific basis for the development and application of cultured meat as a novel protein source.MethodsUsing β-lactoglobulin as the standard control， 15 specific pathogen-free （SPF） male Sprague-Dawley （SD） weaned rats were randomly divided into three groups： the test substance （cultured meat） group， the standard control protein （β-lactoglobulin） group， and the protein-free （normal saline） group. According to the amino acid requirement pattern proposed by the joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations （FAO）/World Health Organization （WHO） expert consultation report， the true digestibility （TD）， amino acid score （AAS）， and protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score （PDCAAS） of proteins in cultured meat were systematically determined.ResultsBased on a linear mixed-effects model with animal ID as a random intercept， the TD of cultured meat was （95.56±0.91）%， which showed no statistically significant difference compared with that of β-lactoglobulin ［（96.18±0.85）%； group effect： F=1.231， P>0.05］. Cultured meat had a balanced amino acid composition， containing all essential amino acids， with isoleucine as the limiting amino acid. The AAS of isoleucine ranged from 0.98 to 1.05 across all age groups， and the AAS of other essential amino acid were all over 1.0， the raw PDCAAS reached or exceeded 1.00 and was therefore truncated to 1.00.ConclusionCultured meat exhibits good protein digestibility and absorption efficiency， with a relatively balanced amino acid composition and isoleucine as the limiting amino acid. Its protein nutritional quality reaches the level of traditional high-quality proteins， making it one of the high-quality alternative sources of traditional animal proteins.

There remains a debate over the health-based guidance value of bisphenol A (BPA) worldwide. Through the weight of evidence approach, this study systematically searched and evaluated the updated BPA toxicological data following the guidelines for evaluating the relevance and reliability of toxicological data developed by the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment. Benchmark dose and no observed adverse effect dose/lowest observed adverse effect level methods were used for dose-relationship analysis. A total of 334 articles were used for evidence integration and included in this hazard assessment of BPA. General toxicity, toxicity to the reproductive system, and neurological (developmental) toxicity were included as possible critical effects in the present assessment. With a point of departure of 2310 μg/kg body weight (BW) based on the decreased round spermatid count in rat seminiferous tubules and the human equivalent dose factor of 0.185 using the constructed physiologically based toxicokinetic model of oral intake of BPA in Chinese population, a human equivalent dose of 427 μg/kg BW was obtained. Applying an overall uncertainty factor of 100, the present assessment established a temporary-tolerable daily intake of 4 μg/kg BW for oral exposure of humans to BPA.

This study aimed to provide preliminary information about the potential adverse effects of L-Glutamate Monosodium Salt Monohydrate on maternal health and offspring development, particularly about developmental neurotoxicity and abnormal behavior in offspring after oral administration by gavage to female SD rats during the perinatal stage. The study involved administering different doses of L-glutamate monosodium salt monohydrate to four groups, including a vehicle control group. The doses were given orally via gavage from gestation day 6 (GD6) until postnatal day 21 (PND21) at levels of 6000, 3000, and 1000 mg/kg BW. The study found that parental exposure to L-Glutamate Monosodium Salt Monohydrate at a dose of 6000 mg/kg BW had adverse effects on the growth and development of the offspring. These effects included delayed physical development and reflex development. However, no effects on dams were observed. The Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level (LOAEL) for developmental toxicity to the offspring is 6000 mg/kg BW, and the No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) is 3000 mg/kg BW. Additionally, the NOAEL for maternal toxicity is considered to be 6000 mg/kg BW.

This study explores the application of GPT models for automating consumer food survey analysis, focusing on Chinese consumers' acceptance of plant-based foods, cultured meat, insect-based proteins, and microbial proteins. Traditional survey analysis methods face limitations in handling large-scale, open-ended responses, whereas GPT's natural language processing capabilities offer efficient, bias-reduced alternatives. Employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), we investigate how food technophobia (FTN) and food values (FV) affect perceived benefits (PB) and perceived risks (PR), ultimately influencing consumer acceptance. Results show that acceptance is highest for plant-based foods and lowest for cultured meat, with PB positively and PR negatively impacting consumer willingness to these foods. Mediation analysis reveals that PR and PB mediate the effects of FTN and FV on acceptance, indicating that attitudes toward food safety, naturalness, and production processes shape consumer choices. The findings underscore the value of using GPT for comprehensive, real-time survey analysis and suggest marketing strategies and policies that emphasize product safety, environmental benefits, and consumer education to enhance acceptance of alternative proteins.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor-enhancing substance, was re-evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2017, which established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0–30 mg/kg bw/day. Despite this, comprehensive risk assessment data remain limited, particularly in China, a major producer and consumer of MSG. This study analyzed glutamate content in natural and MSG-containing foods in China and assessed dietary exposure using a simple distribution model. A group ADI of 0–120 mg/kg bw/day (as glutamic acid) was established. Results showed that China's general population consumes 20.2 mg/kg bw/day of glutamates, equivalent to 16.8 % of the group ADI, with the 95th percentile (P95) intake at 67.3 mg/kg mg/kg bw/day (56.1 % of the ADI). Children aged 3–6 years exhibited the highest intake, with P95 reaching 97.2 % of the group ADI. These findings provide essential data for risk assessment and regulatory decisions on glutamate consumption in China, underscoring the need to monitor dietary exposure for public health safety.

The migration of primary aromatic amines (PAAs) from food contact materials raises significant public health concerns. In this study, the migration levels of 26 PAAs were analyzed in 242 nylon cooking utensils using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 18 PAAs were detected, of which 14 were quantified, with 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane (4,4'-MDA) and aniline being the most prevalent ones. The compliance rates for nylon kitchenware were similar under both legislation of European Commission (76.9%) and Chinese legislation (77.9%). Probabilistic non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk assessment were conducted using Monte Carlo simulation, with read-across approach applied to fill the gap of toxicity data. The hazard quotients for 18 PAAs were calculated, revealing that 17 PAAs (excluding 4,4'-MDA) had acceptable hazard quotients (<1). Lifetime cancer risks for 17 PAAs were determined, with 15 PAAs (excluding benzidine and 4,4'-MDA) showing acceptable cancer risks (<10-4). The study suggests that the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks posed by PAAs migrating from FCMs can be effectively mitigated by promptly identifying non-compliant products and reducing exposure to high-risk PAAs such as 4,4'-MDA and benzidine. Enhancing the understanding of PAA hazard characterization and implementing measures to minimize health risks associated with PAA migration from FCMs is hence recommended.