Phthalates are esters of phthalic acid which are used as plasticizers in food packaging materials. They can easily migrate into food products by leaching, because they are not covalently bonded to their substrates, particularly in foods stored for longer durations or at higher temperatures. The persistence of phthalates in the environment makes them an emerging public health concern, due to the health risks such as endocrine disruption and reproductive toxicity, linked to phthalate exposure, especially with the ongoing concern regarding food contamination and human exposure to hazardous chemicals. This research involved the analysis of 12 canned food samples from categories including fish, sweet corn, beans, and tomato paste, with the aim of investigating the occurrence and levels of phthalate esters in the samples, using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for detection. The research identifies six phthalate compounds, including Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), Diethyl phthalate (DEP), Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and Phthalic acid, across the canned food samples. The results highlight that DEHP is the most prevalent phthalate, found at varying concentrations, above the European Union (EU)’s Specific Migration Limits (SMLs) across different food categories, with the highest levels detected in canned sweet corn and baked beans. Factors like fat content, food acidity, and packaging materials were identified as influential in the migration of phthalates into the food. The result of this study calls for stricter regulations and monitoring, as well as research to provide alternative ecofriendly packaging materials and improve manufacturing processes to mitigate risks.
Segun Opatola (Tue,) studied this question.
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