Occurrences, congener group profiles, and risk assessment of short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins in cup instant noodles from China.

Dietary intake is an important route of human exposure to chlorinated paraffins (CPs). Cup instant noodles are widely popular food and millions packet of instant noodles are consumed every year. To investigate the levels, congener groups, and health risk of SCCPs and MCCPs in each component of cup instant noodles, samples of nine common brands were collected and analyzed by comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The mean concentrations in the noodles were 1.2 × 10 ng/g wet weight (ww) (SCCPs) and 1.2 × 10 ng/g ww (MCCPs), the mean concentrations in the seasoning were 1.4 × 10 ng/g ww (SCCPs) and 1.3 × 10 ng/g ww (MCCPs), and the mean concentrations in the soup were 5.6 × 10 ng/L (SCCPs) and 5.4 × 10 ng/L (MCCPs). The SCCP to MCCP ratio were similar in the soup and soup container, which means CPs in the soup might be migrated from the soup container. Seasoning and noodles from the same brands have similar congener profiles of SCCPs and MCCPs, which may be raised from the manufacturing process or food packaging materials. The dominant SCCP congener groups were CCl in noodles and seasoning, and CCl in soup. The dominant MCCP congener groups were CCl in noodles and seasoning, and CCl in soup. A preliminary health risk assessment indicated that the current intakes of SCCPs and MCCPs through cup instant noodles in China did not pose a significant risk to human health.