Plasticisers represent a complex group of world-wide and in large scale applied chemicals. They ensure important properties to plastic materials. Furthermore, they are a used as auxiliaries in various medical and personal care products and other household items. Trace contamination of edible oils and fats might occur during harvesting, processing, bottling and storage. Certain plasticisers, especially some phthalic acid esters (phthalates), are suspected to have adverse health effects such as possibly causing cancer. In this regard, some authorities have started to set regulations on specific phthalates. Also, NGOs have picked up the absence of certain plasticisers as quality criteria for foods such as edible oils and fats. Very likely these compounds will raise increasing intention of authorities and consumers in the future. In order to determine trace amounts of plasticisers for monitoring purpose or to control internal or official limits there is an obvious need for reliable and validated analytical methods. However, analysis of plasticiser residues in foods is challenging as the number and diversity of compounds is increasing while at the same time the ubiquity of plasticisers being present in laboratory devices and utilities raise the possibility of cross-contamination and significant background levels. This presentation highlights the relevance of the issue in terms of food safety and trace analysis. A new analytical approach for the parallel determination of 24 plasticisers in oils and fats by on line coupled LC-GC-MS-MS technique is introduced. Occurrence data for refined and non-refined edible oils and fats will be presented.

Plasticiser residues in edible oils and fats: Occurrence & analysis

2019 Fall National Meeting

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