Ready meals containing fish and seafood can expose consumers to chemical contaminants that are present in the environment or introduced during processing and packaging. A study by the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) has, for the first time, analysed the presence of a wide range of high-volume chemical substances in ready-made fish and seafood dishes sold in Tarragona, Spain.

The research team looked for 29 compounds belonging to five chemical families, including phthalates, organophosphates, benzothiazoles, and synthetic fragrances, and detected most of them in at least one of the samples studied. Phthalates were the most prevalent contaminants in most of the dishes, especially in two samples made with hake, whereas organophosphates were found to be more prevalent in mussels. Despite the presence of these contaminants, the risk assessment concluded that “the levels detected do not pose a significant health risk.”

Published in the journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, the study examined 18 commercial products that were pre-cooked, fresh, chilled or frozen and made with some of the most commonly consumed species in Catalonia: squid, salmon, mussels, prawns, sardines, hake and cod. The 29 substances analysed are used in a wide variety of applications, such as plastics, packaging materials, textiles, paints, coatings, personal care products and cleaning products. Some can enter the aquatic environment where they accumulate in marine organisms, but they can also migrate into food from packaging materials, especially during storage, cooking or reheating. The researchers’ findings indicate that the levels found in ready meals are, in general, slightly higher than those described in previous studies of raw fish and shellfish from the same area, suggesting that “industrial processing and packaging may increase the presence of these contaminants in food,” although the study does not attribute the contamination to a single source.

Fat Content and Species Type Play a Role

The research also analysed whether the fat content of the species influenced the presence of these compounds. Organophosphates, synthetic musks and benzensulphonamides were found in higher concentrations in species with a higher lipid content, consistent with their tendency to accumulate in fatty tissues. In contrast, phthalates were more abundant in species with less fat, especially in hake dishes, reinforcing the hypothesis that external sources such as contact with plastic materials or processing and preservation methods may be involved.

To estimate population exposure, the research team calculated the potential intake of these compounds across six population groups: adult men and women, boys and girls aged 10 to 19, and men and women over 65. Older men were the group with the highest exposure, mainly because they ate the most fish and shellfish. Cod dishes were the main sources of exposure, both because of the concentrations detected and because cod is one of the most widely consumed species.

Despite the presence of these contaminants, the risk assessment concluded that the levels detected do not pose a significant health risk. For all the compounds, both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic, the values were well below the thresholds considered to be of concern. The research team stresses that their results do not call into question the benefits of consuming fish and seafood, which provide quality protein, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids as part of a healthy diet. What they do highlight is the importance of analysing the state of food as it reaches the consumer, since most studies until now have focused on raw products even as ready-made meals have become more common.

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Journal: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
DOI: 10.1007/s00216-026-06521-2
Article Title: High production volume chemicals in pre-cooked seafood-based meals consumed by inhabitants of Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain): presence and risk assessment
Publication Date: 25-Apr-2026