title: Children's exposure to Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate and dibutylphthalate plasticizers from school meals.
abstract: Packed school meals for children 3-10 years old were studied to evaluate the levels of di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-butylphthalate (DBP) and the influence of the packaging process on meal contamination, and their contribution to daily intake was estimated. The packaging consisted of polyethylene-coated aluminum (PE/Al) dishes thermally welded by a polyethyleneterephthalate-coated aluminum (PET/Al) foil. Foodstuffs before processing were analyzed, too. Total meals before packaging and after packaging were collected. It was found that 92% of foodstuffs employed in meal preparation contained DEHP, and 76% of them DBP, at detectable levels. In cooked foods before packaging the DEHP median concentration levels varied from 111.4 to 154.8 ng/g ww and those of DBP between 32.5 and 59.5 ng/g ww. In packed meals the DEHP median values ranged from 127.0 to 253.3 ng/g ww, and DBP median values varied from 44.1 to 80.5 ng/g ww. The mean increases of median concentrations of DEHP in cooked foods before and after packaging were 113 and 125% for DBP. For nursery and primary school children DEHP intake via school meals can raise on average the respective EFSA TDI by 18 and 12% and that of DBP by 50 and 30%.
authors: Department of Food Science, University of Naples "Federico II" , Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Naples, Italy. tcirillo@unina.it
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Cirillo
authors: Evelina
authors: E
authors: Fasano
authors: Enrica
authors: E
authors: Castaldi
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Montuori
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: Amodio Cocchieri
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate / Q000032:analysis*; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000032:analysis*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005522:Food Services; D006801:Humans; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000032:analysis*; D012574:Schools
chemical_list: D010968:Plasticizers; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate