Abstract: Due to the lack of detection methods, mass spectral databases and reference standards, identifying migrating substances from food contact materials (FCMs) that have wide variations in migration concentrations, high varietal diversity, and complex structures, and come from a wide range of sources remains a challenge in the field of FCMs safety evaluation. In recent years, high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), with high sensitivity, resolution, and accuracy, has been widely applied for screening migrating substances from FCMs, providing robust technical support to tackle the aforementioned challenge, and has gradually become a major approach for the screening and detection of migrating substances from FCMs. This article provides a comprehensive review of the progress on HRMS in the screening of migrating substances from FCMs over the past five years (2019–2024). First, the fundamental principle and classification of HRMS are introduced. This review focuses on the state of the art in the application of HRMS for the screening of migrating substances in FCMs. Additionally, it presents the challenges facing this field. Finally, we provide an outlook on future developments. Through this review, we aim to provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in the field of food safety and to promote the application and development of HRMS in this field.

Key words: high resolution mass spectrometry; food contact materials; migrating substances; screening of migrating substances