Levels of di‐(2‐ethylhexyl)phthalate and total phthalate esters in milk, cream, butter and cheese

Abstract

Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) and total phthalate ester plasticizer levels were determined in milk, cream, butter and cheese samples from a variety of sources from three European countries (UK, Norway and Spain). Samples of milk (from Norway) obtained at various stages during collection, transportation and packaging operations showed no apparent trends in phthalate contamination with total phthalate levels (expressed as DEHP equivalents) in the raw milk of between 0.12 and 0.28 mg/kg. On processing the DEHP was concentrated in the cream at levels up to 1.93 mg/kg, whereas low fat milk contained from < 0.01 to 0.07 mg/kg. Retail dairy products (from Spain) were contaminated with < 0.01-0.55 mg/kg DEHP with a maximum total phthalate level of 3.0 mg/kg in cream samples. UK pooled milk samples from doorstep delivery (obtained from different regions of the country) contained low levels of DEHP (< 0.01-0.09 mg/kg) and total phthalate (0.06-0.32 mg/kg). Retail UK samples of cheese, butter and other fatty products varied considerably in their levels of contamination, the highest being cheese samples containing 17 mg/kg of DEHP and 114 mg/kg total phthalate. However, the majority of samples contained 0.6-3.0 mg/kg DEHP and 4-20 mg/kg total phthalate. UK cream samples contained levels of 0.2-2.7 mg/kg DEHP and 1.8-19.0 mg/kg total phthalate. The level found in these products was too high to have resulted solely from milk by concentration in the fat phase and must therefore have arisen in other ways.

Dibutyl Phthalate Contributes to the Thyroid Receptor Antagonistic Activity in Drinking Water Processes

“…DBP and DEHP belong to a chemical family known as phthalates which are synthetic compounds widely used as polymer additives in plastics, polyvinyl chloride, rubber, cellulose, and styrene production to improve their softness and flexibility (26). In recent years, increasing evidence from in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate that DBP and DEHP can affect the thyroid system.…”

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in the food chain

“…In contrast, with phthalates that are used mainly as plasticisers, such as DEHP, oral exposure predominates (LATINI 2005). Because of their lipophilic nature, phthalates infiltrate mainly in foodstuffs containing fat (SHARMAN et al 1994;BLUETHGEN 2000). Even the release of phthalates from packaging materials was demonstrated (PAGE & LACROIX 1992).…”

Phthalates in food and medical devices

“…Phthalates typically are unintentionally added to food during processing and packaging. Total phthalates in the muscle of livestock and raw milk (120-280 microg/kg) rarely exceed 500 microg/kg (Casajuana and Lacorte, 2004;Rhind et al, 2005;Sharman et al, 1994). However, elevated concentrations of phthalates, up to 53,000 microg/kg, have been detected in food items on the market likely contaminated by processing and packaging (Castle et al, 1989).…”