Abstract
There has been increased concern regarding the potential human health risks associated with exposure to phthalates. Research indicates that food intake is the most critical exposure pathway for phthalates. This study aimed to investigate packaged beef samples for the presence of dimethyl terephthalate (DMTP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and diisooctyl phthalate (DiOP) and to assess their translocation from the common form of food packaging procured from various Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad region shops. The packaging samples include paper and different types of plastic. Phthalates were extracted by dichloromethane and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). While DnBP had the highest mean values in beef from 34.5 to 378.5 μg·kg−1, DiOP displayed the lowest mean values from LOD to 37 μg·kg−1. The larger contact area and the presence of distributed fat on the surface of the minced meat resulted in significantly higher phthalate translocation than beef slices. Further, DMTP was not detected in any samples. However, the examined food packages do not meet the requirements of Russian, EU and USA legislation, as DnBP migrates to meat. Calculated maximum DnBP daily intake of 0.167 μg·kg−1·day−1 for chilled minced beef in vacuum packaging did not exceed tolerable daily intake (TDI) level. The most alarming results are concerning the phthalates presence in beef farmed in the Leningrad region and not subjected to any plastic packaging. A full-scale study is warranted to determine the pathways and sources of phthalates migration in the food chain.
Highlights
Over the past decades, a vast number of studies related to the existence of phthalate compounds in packaging materials and food have been published [1,2,3,4]
The first phase, which occurred in the intestine and parenchyma and catalyzed by esterases and lipases, the diester phthalate is hydrolyzed into the monoester phthalate [8]
Plasticizers were isolated from aliquots of the lipid material with hexane, analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
Summary
A vast number of studies related to the existence of phthalate compounds in packaging materials and food have been published [1,2,3,4]. Phthalates (diesters of ortho phthalic acid) are organic chemicals that are commonly used as plasticizers to make plastic polymers softer and more flexible. They are used to produce lacquers and printing inks as additives to improve the flexibility, surface adhesion, color, elasticity, and wrinkle resistance to manufacturing adhesives, solvents, waxes, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics insecticides, and packaging from regenerated cellulose [5]. Short-branched phthalates are mainly excreted as monoester phthalates via urine. Long-branched compounds are further biotransformed through hydroxylation and oxidation and excreted in feces and urine as phase II conjugated compounds [9]. Phthalates were found in breast milk and amniotic fluid [10]
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