Plasticizers in total diet samples, baby food and infant formulae

The plasticizers di-n-butylphthalate (DBP), butylbenzylphthalate (BBP), di- 2-(ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) and di-2-(ethylhexyl)adipate (DEHA) were ana lysed in 29 total diet samples, in 11 samples of baby food and in 11 sample s of infant formulae. In all of the total diet samples the presence of one or more of the plasticizers was demonstrated. Maximum and minimum mean conc entrations in the total diet samples were: 0.09-0.19 mg DBP/kg, 0.017-0.019 mg BBP/kg, 0.11-0.18 mg DEHP/kg and 0.13-0.14 mg DEHA/kg. One or more of t he phthalates was also found in about 50% of the samples of baby food as we ll as in infant formulae. The calculated mean maximum intakes of the indivi dual compounds from the total diet samples were below 10% of the restrictio ns proposed by the EU Scientific Committee for Food (SCF), and the spread i n individual intakes was considerable. DEHP was the plasticizer determined most frequently and contributed the highest fraction of its tolerable daily intake (TDI). Hence, the maximum calculated intake of DEHP from single sam ples of the foodstuffs analysed could be up to one-third of the TDI. The ca lculated mean intake of DEHA was about 1% of the TDI with a maximum value o f 13% of the TDI. Violations of the restrictions proposed by the EU Scienti fic Committee for Food (SCF) in the form of TDI values or specific migratio n limits were not found in this investigation.