[Endocrine disruptors in food contact articles and baby toys with their transition].

A number of endocrine disruptors have been reported in food contact articles and baby toys mainly during the second half of the 1990s. Bisphenol A, nonylphenol, phthalates, styrene dimers and trimers, and their transision are described in this article. Bisphenol A was found in polycarbonate tableware, nursing bottles and the epoxy resin coating of cans, therefore, it was also found in the canned foods and drinks. Polycarbonate is now only slightly used for tableware or nursing bottles in Japan because consumers refused them. The can manufacturers changed their coating material to the low bisphenol A resin or PET films and voluntarily regulate its migration limit to under 5 or 10 ng/ml. Nonylphenol was found in most PVC wrapping films and gloves. It was generated from an oxidant, tris (nonylphenyl) phosphite. PVC wrapping film was extensively used in markets, thus many kinds of foods were contaminated. Among them, fillet or minced fish and meat contained it at high levels. In 2000, manufacturers voluntarily changed their composition and all wrapping films in Japan no longer contain nonylphenol. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was found in PVC gloves, which contaminated packed lunches and hospital meals at high levels. The government prohibited these gloves for all food contact use in 2000, moreover, other PVC food contact articles containing DEHP were prohibited for contact use with fatty foods in 2002. DEHP was also found in PVC toys which was prohibited in 2002. Styrene dimers and trimers were found in PS products, which migrated into cupped noodles after cooking. No changes have been made in them. In Japan, the exposure to bisphenol A, nonylphenol and DEHP have been significantly reduced and people also have more concerns with the safety of food contact articles.