%D 2001 %0 ARTICLE %T Di ( 2-ethylhexyl ) phthalate contamination of retail packed lunches caused by PVC gloves used in the preparation of foods . %J %V 18 ( 6 ) %P 569-79 %A Tsumura Y %A Ishimitsu S %A Kaihara A %A Yoshii K %A Nakamura Y %A Tonogai Y %M pub11407756 %X Plasticizer contamination of foods sold in retail packed lunches and set lunches in restaurants was determined by GC/MS . The phthalate esters were as follows : diethyl , dipropyl , dibutyl , dipentyl , dihexyl , butylbenzyl , dicyclohexyl , di ( 2-ethylhexyl ) , dioctyl , diisooctyl ( mixture of isomers ) and diisononyl ( mixture ) . Di ( 2-ethylhexyl ) adipate was also determined . Sixteen packed lunches and ten set lunches were analysed , and in all samples the concentration of di ( 2-ethylhexyl ) phthalate ( DEHP ) was the highest , at 0 . 80-11 . 8 mg/kg in packed lunches and 0 . 012-0 . 30 mg/kg in set lunches . The DEHP content of five packed lunches exceeded 1 . 85 mg , which is the EU tolerable daily intake ( TDI ) for a person of 50 kg body weight . Foodstuffs that were components of the packed lunches were taken from the factory at each step of preparation and phthalates were determined . For example , chicken contained 0 . 08 mg/kg DEHP when uncooked , 13 . 1 mg/kg after frying and 16 . 9 mg/kg after packing . Disposable PVC gloves used in the preparation of foods were apparently the source of high DEHP concentrations . The gloves used during cooking or packaging were sprayed with 68% ( w/w ) ethanol to sterilize them . PVC gloves from the factory contained 22 or 41% by weight of DEHP . To confirm the link with the contamination problem , samples of boiled rice , croquette and boiled dry radish were handled in the laboratory with PVC gloves containing 30% ( w/w ) DEHP . DEHP migration levels of 0 . 05 mg/kg in rice or 0 . 33 mg/kg in croquette , and 11 . 1 mg/kg in radish were found . The alcohol sprayed onto the gloves increased the migration of DEHP to 2 . 03 mg/kg in rice , 2 . 45 mg , kg in croquette , and 18 . 4 mg/kg in radish .