Nobuko Kawai

ベビーフード容器中のアルキルフェノール,ビスフェノールA,ベンゾフェノン及びフタル酸エステルの含有量とその溶出実態

Infants, whose growth and development are highly dependent upon the endocrine system, are particularly vulnerable to endocrine disruptor exposure. In our study, we examined whether or not alkylphenols, bisphenol A, benzophenone, di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate and 10 phthalates are present in containers of baby food. Furthermore, the migration into food-simulating solvents was also examined. Sixteen types of containers of baby food, obtained on the Japanese market in 2001, were examined: 8 glass bottle types, 1 plastic type, 1 metallic package (laminated with plastic) and 6 multilayered laminated film packages. Alkylphenols, benzophenone, bisphenol A and di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate were not detected in any of the samples. On the other hand, dibutylphthalate (DBP) was detected in 7 samples (1.2-9.1 micrograms/sample), and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) was detected in 15 samples (1.3-18 micrograms/sample). Migration tests were carried out for 5 samples, and the levels of DBP and DEHP that migrated into n-heptane were 0.68-1.7 micrograms/sample and 0.33-3.5 micrograms/sample, respectively. From these results, a babys intake levels of DBP and DEHP were estimated to be about 1/2,500 and 1/90-300 of the tolerable daily intake (TDI), respectively.

Determination of Fatty Acid Composition of Food Containing Short Chain Fatty Acids

Because of the high volatility and water solubility of short chain fatty acids and their methyl esters, analysis of the fatty acid composition of food lipids in which they are present is more difficult than that of lipids containing only long chain fatty acids. The GLC analysis of such lipids of small amount (about 100mg) was established in the present study as follows: a lipid was methylated with diazomethane and Na-methylate, and the produced fatty acid methyl esters were extracted in n-hexane. The short chain (413 and 16:0) fatty acid methyl esters were measured by temperature programmed GLC on 15% OV-275 column, and long chain (1424) fatty acid methyl esters by isothermal GLC on a suitable column for the analysis of fatty acid methyl ester such as DEGS. To determine the complete fatty acid (424) composition, these data of fatty acid methyl esters contents were combined by mediation of methyl palmitate amount, since palmitic acid is the major fatty acids in many food lipids. The fatty acid composition of butter fat, margarine (containing milk fat) fat and coconut oil was determined, and the recovery of lipid as total fatty acid methyl esters was 97.6% butter fat, 98.5% margarine fat and 97.9% coconut oil, respectively.