Title:Plasticizers and Bisphenol as Food Contaminants: Sources and Human Risk
Volume: 14
Issue: 4
Author(s): Evelina Fasano*Teresa Cirillo
Affiliation:
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Universita, 100–80055 Portici, Naples,Italy
Keywords:
Plasticizers, bisphenol, packed food, human health, migration tests, endocrine disruptors.
Abstract: Introduction: Packed food can be considered as a source of contamination due to the migration
of plasticizers or monomer from packaging to food. In fact, the contamination usually regards the
contact with plastic containers or films that are made in a different way. This chemical migration can be
considered as diffusion, in particular it was time and temperature depending. These compounds that can
migrate into food are usually investigated for their toxicological aspects.
Objective: This review is aimed to describe the reasons for which food are usually a main source of
adipates, phthalates, alkylphenols, 2,2-bis(4-hydroxiphenyl)propane for human. In fact, international
interest for the monitoring of these chemicals into food and so the human exposure is an important
topic.
Methods: Many studies were carried out to monitor the presence of the above cited compounds in different
food also considering their toxicological profiles and to find a reason for their presence. So, many
of these researches were described with regard to the presence of these compounds and the consequent
human exposure.
Results: The migration of these compounds into food was fully investigated in studies that employed
food or food simulants as suggested by European Union (EU). In particular fatty or packed foods are
observed to have higher levels of them. Toxicological studies were conducted and a lot of information
for each compound was found. The use of BPA-Free packaging is not considered as safe because BPA
is replaced by other bisphenols with same structural characteristic.
Conclusion: Actually EU established migration limits relating to packaging and European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA) continuously proposed TDIs or limiting uses of some plasticizers or monomer after
acquisition of data from different countries. For this reason plastic packaging are changed, even if the
use of analogues chemicals employed, such as for BPA, can be better investigated. In fact these compounds
present in BPA-Free products are not always regulated and data related to them is unavailable.