EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ON THE MIGRATION OF DI(2-ETHYLHEXYL)PHTHALATE FROM PET BOTTLES INTO YOGURT DRINKS: INFLUENCE OF TIME, TEMPERATURE, AND FOOD SIMULANT

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the materials that are widely used for packaging of beverages and edible oils. In this study, the migration of di(2- ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) from PET bottles into the Iranian yogurt drink was investigated. According to European Commission regulations, acetic acid (3% w/v) was chosen as simulant. The acetic acid samples were stored at 4°C, 25°C, and 45°C for four months and analyzed periodically by gas chromatography. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate if contact with the food simulant could affect the PET material. It was concluded that the storage temperature had a large effect on the migration of DEHP. Also, increasing storage time resulted in higher concentrations of migrating DEHP. The concentrations of migrating substance did not exceed its specific migration limit (Economic European Community (EEC) regulations). Determination of glass transition (Tg) and crystallinity percent of PET bottles using DSC method showed that the variations in the amount of migration at different storage condition did not induce any change in the PET material in contact with 3% acetic acid