Migration of monomers and plasticizers from packed foods and heated microwave foods using QuEChERS sample preparation and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

The objective of this study was to evaluate the migration of monomers and plastic additives in microwave heated homemade courses and in packed liquid food. Compounds studied were 3 phthalates, 4- tert-octylphenol (OP), 4-nonylphenol (NP), bisphenol A (BPA) and di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate (DEHA). A QuEChERS based method was optimized for the analysis of these compounds in solid or liquid packed and retailed food. Using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, recoveries ranged from 49 ± 16% (OP) to 130 ± 16% (BPA) and from 63 ± 22% (OP) to 127 ± 29% (NP) in solid and liquid foods, with limits of detection below 14.37 ng g-1 and 2.25 ng mL-1, respectively. NP showed the highest mean level in homemade foods (1064 ± 363 ng g-1 wet weight) and reheating did not produce an increase in the levels detected. Phthalates and DEHA were detected at low concentrations. Among liquid foods, meat broth mean concentrations of NP were of 9.61 ± 1.93 ng mL-1 and of 9.68 ± 1.75 ng mL-1 for butylbenzylphthalate in fish broth, while in wine, the most abundant compound was di-n-butylphthalate. Overall, the developed QuEChERS method permitted to determine the presence of investigated chemicals in packed food allowing the evaluation of compounds that can affect food quality.