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During the 1990s, the European
Union (EU) evaluated a number of phthalates that
were being used, or were requested for use as
additives in plastics. These included the extensively
investigated substances BBP, DBP, DEHP, DINP and
DIDP, as well as a large number of phthalates
for which there was little or no toxicity information.
Phthalates are a class of compounds used most
commonly as a softener for products made with
polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In the food industry
phthalate compounds are most commonly used for
plastic packaging materials
In 1994, faced with these uncertainties, the EU
decided to set a tolerable daily intake (TDI)
for many phthalic esters, based on a study. As
per the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority),
scientists generally agree that the studies should
not be used for human risk assessment as rodents
are highly sensitive to peroxisome.
Based on recent evaluation of the five commonly
used Phtahate plasticizers, the EU food safety
regulator has either lowered, maintained or in
some cases enhanced acceptable daily intake limits.
The changes could eventually allow more or less
use of the individual phthalate compounds in plastic
packaging, depending on whether the recommendations
are approved by the EU's parliament.
Food contamination occurs because of the use of
PCV in wrapping materials. Phthalates have been
found in meat, fish, milk products, and other
foods with a high fat content. The European parliament
in July banned six phthalate softeners in PVC
toys and childcare articles that can be find their
way into children's mouths, expected to come into
force sometime next year.
DBP, DEHP and BBP affect the testes and reproduction.
DINP and DIDP have an affect on the liver. Due
to the different effects the panel was not able
a give an overall group TDI for the chemicals.
In the case of BBP, EFSA's scientific panel recommends
that the EU raises the TDI limits to of 0.5 mg/kg
of body weight (bw), from 0.1 mg/kg bw.
The panel noted that the dietary exposure to BBP
derived from packaging and other sources may contribute
up to about 1% of the TDI value.
In the case of DBP the panel recommends lowering
the minimum TDI to 0.01 mg/kg bw from 0.05 mg/kg
bw. The panel notes that exposure to DBP from
food consumption is in the range of the TDI.
For DEHP the panel recommends keeping the TDI
at 0.05 mg/kg bw. The panel recommends that the
TDI for DIDP should also be maintained at 0.15
mg/kg bw.
The TDIs for DIDP and DINP were also maintained
at 0.15 mg/kg bw.
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