According to current knowledge, the present-day intake of phthalates does not pose a significant risk to the health of adult consumers. Animal studies have shown that various phthalates have harmful properties. However, these effects only occurred when the animals were exposed to comparatively high phthalate concentrations over a long period of time. In contrast, the quantities that consumers take in with their food are so low that, according to current knowledge, negative effects on health are not to be expected.
In 2019, the European Food Safety Authority EFSA, with the involvement of the BfR, reassessed the health effects of five phthalates that can be used in plastic food contact materials (DBP, BBP, DEHP, DINP, DIDP). Four of these phthalates (DBP, BBP, DEHP and DINP) were considered as a group in the assessment because they show comparable effects in terms of reproductive toxicity. For this phthalate group, a group tolerable daily intake (TDI) has been set. The TDI describes the amount that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without causing adverse health effects. For all four phthalates together, the TDI is therefore 0.05 mg per kilogram of body weight - the equivalent of 3 milligrams per person per day, assuming a body weight of 60 kg. The group TDI is calculated in the form of so-called DEHP equivalents, i.e. conversion factors are used for the individual substances depending on their potency compared to DEHP.
This new TDI was compared with the actual intake of the phthalates in question by the population. The intake was already significantly lower in 2019. Accordingly, EFSA came to the conclusion that the current intake of DBP, BBP, DEHP, DINP and DIDP via food is not expected to cause any impairment to health.
These results are consistent with data from the BfR MEAL study . During the investigations in 2019 and 2020, the concentrations of 28 phthalates in prepared foods were also determined. The concentrations measured were also very low.
In studies conducted as part of the European human biomonitoring project HBM4EU the total intake of phthalates was analysed - via food, inhaled air and skin. The quantities of phthalates ingested by humans every day were determined across Europe. For DEHP, DINP, BBP and DBP, the estimated daily intake was 0.1 to 1 µg/kg body weight. This is 500 to 50 times below the TDI of 50 µg/kg body weight.
Within the population, children are more exposed to phthalates than adolescents and adults. Children absorb plasticisers not only through food, but also to a much greater extent than adults by putting articles in their mouths. These articles may themselves contain phthalates or be covered in dust contaminated with phthalates. Studies conducted in Germany as part of the German Environmental Health Study (GerES IV , formerly known as the Children's Environmental Survey, KUS) conducted by the Federal Environment Agency UBA between 2003 and 2006, degradation products of phthalates were found in almost all urine samples. In 1.5 % of the children, the concentrations were so high at that time that an impairment of health could no longer be ruled out with sufficient certainty. In the following study (GerES V ) from 2014 to 2017, the concentration of DEHP in the urine of three to 13-year-old children was four times lower. In a few cases, the HBM guideline values (HBM-GV, see below) were exceeded. This was the case for DBP in 1.18 % of cases (12/2256 children) and for DEHP in 0.05 % of cases (1/2256 children). Despite the general decrease in exposure, the combined intake of the phthalates DBP, BBP, DEHP and DINP in GerES V estimated from the measured values was still higher than the tolerable daily intake of 0.05 mg per kilogram of body weight for the majority of three- to ten-year-olds. More recent studies carried out between 2016 and 2022 in the Europe-wide HBM4EU project show that phthalate concentrations in children and adolescents have also decreased in Europe over the past decades.
According to current knowledge, the present-day intake of phthalates does not pose a significant risk to the health of adult consumers. Animal studies have shown that various phthalates have harmful properties. However, these effects only occurred when the animals were exposed to comparatively high phthalate concentrations over a long period of time. In contrast, the quantities that consumers take in with their food are so low that, according to current knowledge, negative effects on health are not to be expected.
In 2019, the European Food Safety Authority EFSA, with the involvement of the BfR, reassessed the health effects of five phthalates that can be used in plastic food contact materials (DBP, BBP, DEHP, DINP, DIDP). Four of these phthalates (DBP, BBP, DEHP and DINP) were considered as a group in the assessment because they show comparable effects in terms of reproductive toxicity. For this phthalate group, a group tolerable daily intake (TDI) has been set. The TDI describes the amount that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without causing adverse health effects. For all four phthalates together, the TDI is therefore 0.05 mg per kilogram of body weight - the equivalent of 3 milligrams per person per day, assuming a body weight of 60 kg. The group TDI is calculated in the form of so-called DEHP equivalents, i.e. conversion factors are used for the individual substances depending on their potency compared to DEHP.
This new TDI was compared with the actual intake of the phthalates in question by the population. The intake was already significantly lower in 2019. Accordingly, EFSA came to the conclusion that the current intake of DBP, BBP, DEHP, DINP and DIDP via food is not expected to cause any impairment to health.
These results are consistent with data from the BfR MEAL study . During the investigations in 2019 and 2020, the concentrations of 28 phthalates in prepared foods were also determined. The concentrations measured were also very low.
In studies conducted as part of the European human biomonitoring project HBM4EU the total intake of phthalates was analysed - via food, inhaled air and skin. The quantities of phthalates ingested by humans every day were determined across Europe. For DEHP, DINP, BBP and DBP, the estimated daily intake was 0.1 to 1 µg/kg body weight. This is 500 to 50 times below the TDI of 50 µg/kg body weight.
Within the population, children are more exposed to phthalates than adolescents and adults. Children absorb plasticisers not only through food, but also to a much greater extent than adults by putting articles in their mouths. These articles may themselves contain phthalates or be covered in dust contaminated with phthalates. Studies conducted in Germany as part of the German Environmental Health Study (GerES IV , formerly known as the Children's Environmental Survey, KUS) conducted by the Federal Environment Agency UBA between 2003 and 2006, degradation products of phthalates were found in almost all urine samples. In 1.5 % of the children, the concentrations were so high at that time that an impairment of health could no longer be ruled out with sufficient certainty. In the following study (GerES V ) from 2014 to 2017, the concentration of DEHP in the urine of three to 13-year-old children was four times lower. In a few cases, the HBM guideline values (HBM-GV, see below) were exceeded. This was the case for DBP in 1.18 % of cases (12/2256 children) and for DEHP in 0.05 % of cases (1/2256 children). Despite the general decrease in exposure, the combined intake of the phthalates DBP, BBP, DEHP and DINP in GerES V estimated from the measured values was still higher than the tolerable daily intake of 0.05 mg per kilogram of body weight for the majority of three- to ten-year-olds. More recent studies carried out between 2016 and 2022 in the Europe-wide HBM4EU project show that phthalate concentrations in children and adolescents have also decreased in Europe over the past decades.
