Evaluation of Migrating Potentials of Phthalates from Plastic Packaging Materials into Cooked Food

Abstract

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are one of the essential plastic additives also known as plasticizer which has varying harmful effects. Increasing attention has been paid to the migration of phthalates into packaged food products. In this study, cooked food samples Bambara nut (Okpa) obtained at different heating temperatures of 60 oC, 80 oC, and 100 oC for a period of one week were analyzed along with control. The result revealed that the food samples in plastic containers heated at 60oC (one hour) for one week showed methyl hydrogen phthalate with concentration of 0.060%, dimethyl phthalate, 0.056%, dibut-3-enyl phthalate, 0.096 %, phthalic anhydride, 42.678%, while sample in a plastic container heated at 80 oC (one hour) for one week also indicated the presence of phthalate and they include the following; dibutyl phthalate with the con centration of 0.060 %, diamyl phthalate, 0.060 %, butyl decyl phthalate, 0.147 %. However, the organics with their percentage total ion concentration (%tic) identified at 100 oC heat treatment includes: Ethyl iso-allocholate (1.984%), octadecanal,2- bromo (2.890 %), Dibutylphthalate (0.060 %), Diamylphthalate (0.0603 %), 4-methyl-1,3-Isobenzofuran dione (3.562 %), There were no Phthalates found in the control. This implies that Phthalate migration is temperature and time dependent. The migrating potential of phthalates and other organic compounds from plastic food packaging materials cannot be denied as they are used commonly in the packaging of local delicacies such as (Okpa, fufu, Agidi and Moi moi). Constant exposures to these endocrine disruptors are reported to lead to possible increase in the risk of testicular or prostate cancer. A new form of food packaging using nanonized aluminium sweet prayer leaf extract should be employed to avert the dangers associated with endocrine disrupting compounds.