Preliminary assessments of population exposure to glycidyl esters and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters from miscellaneous oil-containing packaged foods in Taiwan

•G and M levels in foods were analyzed by GC–MS followed by Soxtec extraction.•The highest concentrations of G and M were found in processed fats and cookies.•58% of palm oil-containing foods exceeded the upper limits of G or M set by the EU.•Packaged foods with palm-derived oils had significantly higher levels of G and M.•Main exposures to G and M were from cookies and instant noodles that exceeded TDIs. Glycidyl esters (GEs) and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters (3-MCPDEs) are carcinogenic contaminants found in refined oils. This study aimed to determine levels of GEs and 3-MCPDEs in packaged foodstuffs, and estimate daily exposure levels using food consumption data. The analysis involved Soxtec extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the recovery of spiked GEs and 3-MCPDEs was within the range of 80%∼110%. Results showed that GEs and 3-MCPDEs were almost ubiquitous in food products (95%), with the highest concentrations found in processed fats, followed by cookies and spreads. Food products containing palm-derived oils had significantly higher levels of contaminants (p