Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
5499631 
Book/Book Chapter 
Chapter 53 - Plasticizer in Olive Oils 
Di Bella, G; La Pera, L; Lo Turco, V; Pollicino, D; Dugo, G 
2010 
Academic Press 
San Diego 
Olives and Olive Oil in Health and Disease Prevention 
481-488 
English 
Publisher Summary Humans have significant exposures to plasticizers, as these substances are ubiquitously present in flexible plastics. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one of the most versatile plastics because of its blending ability with a variety of additives such as plasticizers and stabilizers to produce a wide range of products including packaging materials. Films and sheets followed by bottle production are the largest applications for PVC in food packaging. They usually possess a low molecular weight and thus have the tendency to migrate from the packaging material into the packaged food, thereby becoming a food contact substance. Because of this occurrence, both the US Food and Drug Administration and the EU have set regulations on plasticizer use in food-packaging materials. There are several hundred specific migration limits (SLM) in Directive 2002/72/EC; in particular, 18 mg kg–1 food for bis-(2-ethylhexyl)adipate (DEHA) and 3 mg kg–1 food for bis-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP). Although DEHP is forbidden by the European legislation, it can sometimes be found in solvent-based inks. These inks are usually dedicated to non-food applications, but components and additives can be transferred to food-packaging inks. It is well documented that plasticizers such as adipates and phthalates from plasticized films readily migrate into fatty foods when there is direct surface contact between film and the food. The presence of toxic residues in vegetable oils has been reported by several researchers. Vegetable oils are one of the most important components of the human diet; therefore, the presence of plasticizers constitutes a significant health risk. 
Watson, Ronald Ross