Organophosphate Esters and Their Metabolites in Commercially Available Preprepared Dishes: Occurrence, Migration from Food Contact Materials, and Dietary Exposure

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are used as flame retardants and plasticizers and may enter preprepared dishes through raw materials, processing, and migration from food contact materials (FCMs). In this study, 28 OPEs and 13 mOPEs were determined in 347 commercially available preprepared dish samples purchased in Beijing, China, and migration experiments were conducted using 42 independent FCM samples. OPEs were widely detected in preprepared dishes (median: 9.04 ng/g wet weight (ww)), while mOPEs had much lower levels (median of 1.40 ng/g ww). Compared with fresh animal-origin foods, the dishes showed significantly higher OPE concentrations. Independent migration experiments further showed that several major OPEs could be released from the tested FCMs, demonstrating release potential consistent with a possible packaging contribution. A scenario-based exposure assessment indicated that OPE intake via preprepared dish consumption was below available health-based guidance values, while uncertainties remain because consumption data specific to preprepared dishes and toxicological thresholds for many OPEs/mOPEs are lacking.