Esters of Phthalic Acid in Food and Packaging from the Market

Abstract

In this study, the concentrations of two phthalic acid esters, namely di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dibutyl phthalate, in foodstuffs and their packaging were investigated. The materials under study were milk, white cream yogurt, Old Bohemian salami, English bacon, liver pate in artificial intestine, liver pate in a plastic tub, meat spread in artificial intestine, Parisian salad in a plastic tub, and chilled puff pastry. In foodstuffs: the lowest average concentration of dibutyl phthalate (4.13 μg g^–1) was found in Old Bohemian salami and the lowest concentration of di(2‑ethylhexyl) phthalate (2.86 μg g^–1) was measured in milk. The highest average concentrations of dibutyl phthalate (23.91 μg g^–1) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (50.80 μg g^–1) were determined in the meat spread.