Integration of nontargeted screening with in vitro bioassays to evaluate and identify estrogenic compounds in food contact materials.

The safety of food-contact materials (FCMs) is critical for overall food safety. Chemicals with estrogenic effects that migrate from FCMs into food pose potential health risks. Here, cell-based assays were used to evaluate the estrogenic effects of migration fluid from 29 FCMs under extreme conditions to identify estrogenic samples. Potential estrogenic compounds were identified by nontargeted screening (GC-Orbitrap-HRMS) and quantified using GC-MS to calculate the contribution to their overall estrogenic effect. The findings revealed that over half of the FCMs possibly had estrogenic effects. Nine risk substances with potential estrogenic activity were identified, with concentrations ranging from 0.35 to 351.7 mg/kg. The estrogenic contribution analysis revealed that the chemicals detected in the silicone water cup contributed 86.5% of the total effect. This study provides a theoretical basis and practical reference for the targeted monitoring of estrogenic compounds in FCMs, as well as for biological effect assessment and health risks.