Biogenic amines (BAs) are frequently detected in seafood products, wines, and fermented foods, and they pose potential risks to human health. The current study analyzed the concentrations of five common BAs in seafood, fermented food, and complementary food for infants and children (fish sausage, canned complementary food for infants containing fish and shrimp ingredients, and fish floss) in China and estimated the acute health risks of histamine (HIS) from fermented foods in Chinese consumers. Among all the samples analyzed, HIS exhibited the highest detection rate (51.9%), followed by PUT (50.1%), and the detection rate of TRY (12.5%) was the lowest. The total average concentration of the five BAs across major food categories revealed that fermented bean curd had the highest total concentration of BAs (816.8 mg/kg), followed by shrimp (383.2 mg/kg) and cheese (328.0 mg/kg). In contrast, samples of complementary food for infants and children contained the lowest concentrations of BAs; the total average concentration of the five BAs was 12.0 mg/kg. The point assessment results showed that acute dietary exposure to HIS was highest from cheese (76.2 mg/d), followed by fermented bean products (74.5 mg/d). Furthermore, the probability assessment indicated that the probability of acute health risks from exposure to HIS was 0.44% for fermented bean product consumers and 0.014% for cheese consumers, respectively. Thus, for the general consumer, the probability of acute health risks caused by HIS in seafood and fermented foods is low. However, individuals with high consumption of cheese and fermented bean products may need to be concerned.

(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.

This study systematically assessed the dietary exposure risks of short-chain and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs) through chicken consumption in China, where these persistent organic pollutants are widely produced and used. As an important component of the Chinese diet, chicken was selected as the research matrix due to its high lipid content and potential for chlorinated paraffin bio-accumulation, while available data on these contaminants in market-sold chicken remains limited. We collected 126 representative commercial chicken samples from eight major provinces and municipalities across China and conducted precise analysis using two-dimensional gas chromatography with electron capture negative ionization mass spectrometry (GC×GC-ECNI/MS). The probabilistic exposure assessment was performed through Monte Carlo simulation, and health risks were characterized using the margin of exposure (MOE) approach. The results revealed mean concentrations of 95.8 ng/g wet weight (range: 9.5–1542.4 ng/g ww) for SCCPs and 156.6 ng/g ww (range: 20.0–1517.9 ng/g ww) for MCCPs in chicken samples, with Jiangsu Province exhibiting significantly higher contamination levels compared to other regions (p < 0.001). The estimated mean dietary exposures through chicken consumption were 32.8 ng/kg bw/d for SCCPs and 52.6 ng/kg bw/d for MCCPs in the general Chinese population. Notably, children aged 3–6 years and the Consumer only showed the highest exposure levels. All calculated MOE values substantially exceeded the risk threshold of 1000, indicating no significant health concerns from current exposure to SCCPs and MCCPs through chicken consumption in China.

Nuts are nutrient-rich foods that help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but their potential contamination with aflatoxins (AFs) may increase the risk of liver cancer. In this study, the European Benefit–Risk Analysis for Foods (BRAFO) framework was used to evaluate both the health risks and benefits of nut consumption among Chinese adults. Based on the actual consumption patterns of nuts among the Chinese population, the current consumption level was set as the reference scenario (4.66 g/day), and three alternative scenarios were simulated with a daily nut consumption of 10, 20, and 30 g, respectively. Dose–response relationships were established using a two-stage dose–response analysis for nut consumption and CHD risk, and a one-stage dose–response analysis for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure and liver cancer risk. A Monte Carlo probabilistic model quantified the CHD prevention benefits and liver cancer risks associated with AF exposure. Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) analysis indicated net health benefits in all scenarios, with nut consumptions of 10, 20, and 30 g/day reducing DALYs per 100,000 population by 104.39, 143.63, and 181.47 in men, and by 58.79, 81.29, and 102.94 in women, respectively. A nut consumption of 10 g/day was recommended for Chinese adults, considering both health benefits and the risk of AF exposure. This study presents the first application of the BRAFO framework to evaluate the net health effect of nut consumption in a Chinese population, filling a critical gap in the risk–benefit assessment of nut consumption.