Dietary Exposure to Benzyl Butyl Phthalate in China

Objective Benzyl butyl phthalate （BBP） is a plasticizer used in food contact materials. Dietary exposure to BBP might lead to reproduction and developmental damages to human. The present paper was aimed to assess the health risk of BBP dietary exposure in Chinese population. Methods The BBP contents were detected in 7409 food samples from 25 food categories by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry operated in selected ion monitoring （SIM） mode. The dietary exposures of BBP in different age and sex groups were estimated by combining the content data with food consumption data derived from 2002 China National Nutrient and Health Survey, and evaluated according to the tolerable daily intake （TDI） of BBP established by European Food safety Agency. Results It was found that BBP was undetectable in most samples and the highest level was 2.69 mg/kg detected in a vegetable oil sample. The average dietary exposure of BBP in people aged 〉2 years was 2.03μg/kg bw per day and the highest average exposure was found in 2-6 years old children （1.98μg/kg bw per day）. The BBP exposure in 7-12 months old children excessed 10% of tolerable daily intake （TDI） in worst scenario. Conclusion The health risk of BBP dietary exposure in Chinese population is low and, considering BBP alone, there is no safety concern.

Food emulsifier glycerin monostearate aggravates phthalates'testicular toxicity by disrupting tight junctions'barrier function in rats

Objectives:This study aimed to investigate the effect of the widely used food emulsifier glycerin monostearate(GM)on testicular toxicity caused by the mixture of three commonly used phthalate esters(MPEs)in rats,and further to explore the underlying mechanism.Materials and Methods:Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups.Rats were orally treated with 160 mg/kg/d MPEs in the MPEs group;coinstantaneously treated with 160 mg/kg/d MPEs and 200 mg/kg/d GM in the MPEs+GM group;and treated with the excipient in the control group.The intervention lasted for 5 weeks.Testis weight,epididymis weight,testicular histopathology,and serum testosterone were detected for testicular toxicity evaluation.The testicular ultrastructure,the tight junction proteins zonula occluden(ZO)-1,and claudin were measured for the mechanism exploration.Results:The body weight,epididymis,serum testosterone level,and anogenital distance in the MPEs+GM group were significantly decreased compared with control group(P<0.05);Testicular histopathological observation showed that shed spermatids were observed in the MPEs+GM group.Ultrastructural observation of testicular cells showed that the cristae number was decreased in some mitochondria in the MPEs group,whereas the cristae were fused and disappeared in most mitochondria in the MPEs+GM group.The tight junctions were broken in the MPEs+GM group;meanwhile,the expression of ZO-1 and claudin were altered in the MPEs+GM group(P<0.01).Conclusions:The results from this study indicated that GM aggravated MPEs'testicular toxicity,which might relate to the injured mitochondria and damaged tight junctions in testicular tissue.