The pollution situation and the corresponding control measures of phthalate plasticizers in food

With the continuous improvement of living standards， food safety issues have increasingly become a focal point of social concern， among which the problem of plasticizer contamination in food has garnered significant attention. Plasticizers are primarily used as plasticizers and softeners in products such as plastics and rubber. Among global plasticizer products， phthalate esters rank first in production， accounting for approximately 80% of the total output. The widespread application of products containing phthalate ester plasticizers （such as plastic bags， bottles， and cosmetics） in human production and daily life leads to inevitable human exposure through ingestion， inhalation， and dermal contact. As a result， phthalate ester plasticizers have become one of the most prevalent organic pollutants worldwide. This paper systematically elaborates on the physicochemical properties and health hazards of phthalate ester plasticizers， and reviews the limit standards for phthalate esters in food and food contact materials established by major countries and regions worldwide. Based on case analyses of typical plasticizer contamination incidents， the study focuses on proposing management recommendations for controlling phthalate esters in food from multiple dimensions， including raw material and packaging material control， production process management， and finished product quality monitoring. The aim is to provide technical references for food enterprises in constructing a plasticizer prevention and control system.