The Taiwan Department of Health (DOH) revealed that an industrial chemical intended to soften plastic packaging was being used as an ingredient by the food industry. Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) was found in use as a cheap substitute in a clouding agent for several brands of food products in Taiwan, in direct contravention of legislation prohibiting the use of DEHP in food products. The clouding agent is a food additive mainly used to make fruit drinks more visually appealing, but banned DEHP was used as a replacement of the usual and more expensive palm oil.
Fairfield, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/05/2011 -- Taiwanese investigators from the Department of Health (DOH) detected the presence of DEHP and Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) in food products on May 23, 2011. The crisis that resulted exerted great pressure on the food industry to test for the presence of phthalates, and brought the issue of protecting consumers from the associated health hazards to public attention.
Immediate measures taken in response to the discovery included the Taiwan DOH announcing the removal of all DEHP contaminated sports drinks, teas, fruit juices, jams, nectars and jellies as well as any DEHP contaminated products in tablet, powder or capsule form from store shelves. As an additional response to the crisis, Taiwan set a standard of 1 ppm for the six phthalates of DEHP, DIDP, DINP, BBP, DBP, and DNOP. China also announced limits at 0.3 ppm for DBP, 9 ppm for DINP, and 1.5 ppm for DEHP. The international criteria for the daily maximum consumption of phthalates range from 0.6 to 30 mg for a 60 kg adult, depending on the phthalate compound in question.
The Crisis Spreads
The measures taken were not enough to stem the crisis, however. On May 29, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a warning regarding DEHP contamination in Taiwanese food products, with an alert issued two days later. This resulted in the recall of multiple Taiwanese imported products throughout the month of June. Soon thereafter China suspended the import of 858 food products from Taiwan, affecting 55 suppliers specializing in beverages, food and food additives.
The crisis continued throughout June, with the United States becoming involved on June 21. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was informed by the DOH that phthalates were contained in 57 items shipped from Taiwan to the United States. The FDA resolved to monitor the impact on the U.S. food supply. On the same date, Australia withdrew an asparagus juice that Taiwan had also identified as being contaminated with banned phthalates.
As the concern took on global proportions, the Taiwan DOH was forced to report the export of phthalate contaminated products to 22 countries and regions. These including the United States, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Vietnam, the Philippines, Australia, Malaysia, South Africa, Argentina, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Macao, Singapore, Egypt, the Marshall Islands, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Brazil, Brunei and Japan. This initially involved a total of 34 manufacturers and 206 products.
Identification of Tolerable Daily Intake Levels
By July 18, the Taiwan DOH had identified 315 manufacturers as culpable, with a total of 877 products containing banned phthalates. Phthalates are used widely to increase the elasticity and flexibility of plastic products (for example, PVC) and trace amounts can transfer into food products in contact with such plastics. However, high levels of DEHP have been shown to cause damage to the liver and kidneys and to affect the body’s reproductive system. The tolerable daily intake (TDI) of phthalates varies according to the actual substance, with DEHP having its level set at 0.05 mg per kg of body weight per day. BBP is set at 0.5, while DBP is set at 0.01, and DINP and DIDP at 0.15 mg/kg of body weight per day. There is no TDI available for DNOP and DIBP. Excessive amounts of DEHP have been shown to affect reproduction, with BBP, DBP and DIBP affecting reproduction and development and DINP and DIDP bringing about liver damage. DNOP is known to adversely affect the liver and thyroid.
The ‘no observed adverse effect level’ (NOAEL) for the reproductive and developmental effects of DEHP is set at 4.8 mg/kg body weight per day. To its credit, the Taiwan DOH has now standardized a method for determining the use of phthalate plasticizers in food, through the use of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS).
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