Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a costeffective general purpose plasticizer used mainly for making plastics soft and pliable in building materials such as flooring, cables, as well as medical devices.
In May 2011, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) found DEHP in powdered probiotics, which was then traced back to the clouding agent supplier. The so-called “clouding agent” is a legal food additive that is commonly used in beverage, food, and dietary supplements. However, the supplier intentionally replaced the additives with DEHP in order to cut costs. DEHP is 20 times more toxic than melamine, and is classified as a class B2, probable human carcinogen, under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consumption of plasticizer-tainted food or beverage products increases the risk of reproductive abnormalities.
The regulations of Food Containers and Appliances (Taiwan) mandate that the maximum level of DEHP dissolved from plastic items must not exceed 1.5 ppm, and that no DEHP can be added to food products. The international acceptance criteria of daily maximum consumption ranges from 1.2 to 8.4 mg for a 60 kg adult.
Food safety regulators require that all products found to be contaminated with DEHP be recalled and removed from the shelves immediately. Rigorous tests must be carried out on six categories of food and beverages including sports drinks, fruit juices, tea drinks, fruit jam and jellies, food powders, and health supplement tablets. This poses a major analytical challenge, as the complexity of food matrices requires the use of different extraction techniques. Thus the ability to rapidly screen for the presence of DEHP using a simple technique with minimal sample preparation and no chromatographic separation would be advantageous.
