Risk assessment of oral exposure to phthalates from coffee samples marketed in Turkey

Although phthalate esters (PAEs) are plasticizers widely utilized nowadays to enhance the flexibility and pro-cessability of polymeric materials, their presence and detection in the food environment have become an important concern. In this study, phthalate esters (butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and diisononyl phthalate (DINP)) were detected in 40 coffee samples in single-use or large plastic-based packages of different brands collected from the Turkish market. PAEs exposure and non -carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks were calculated for females and males aged 15-64, depending on their coffee consumption within 24 h. DBP and DINP exhibited the highest level of migration to coffee samples (10-4) reported by the US EPA. Our research findings showed that almost all age groups over 15 were exposed to PAEs orally from the coffee they frequently consumed, which might lead to an excessive risk of cancer in individuals. Therefore, it was concluded that more comprehensive studies should be conducted based on this study, especially regarding cancer risk.
Scientific Research Project Centre of Agri I?brahim Cecen University; [SYO.21.002]
Funding This research was financed by the Scientific Research Project Centre of Agri I?brahim Cecen University (Project No: SYO.21.002) .