Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate in food: ingestion safety
Moderate risk(People-specific data is limited; this page draws from human adult context.) Ubiquitous exposure through food, consumer products, and medical devices. Associated with reproductive effects in males. Classified reproductive toxicant.
What is di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate?
The IUPAC name is bis(2-ethylhexyl) benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate.
Also known as: bis(2-ethylhexyl) benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate, Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.
- IUPAC name
- bis(2-ethylhexyl) benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate
- CAS number
- 117-81-7
- Molecular formula
- C24H38O4
- Molecular weight
- 390.6 g/mol
- SMILES
- CCCCC(CC)COC(=O)C1=CC=CC=C1C(=O)OCC(CC)CCCC
- PubChem CID
- 8343
Risk for people
Moderate riskUbiquitous exposure through food, consumer products, and medical devices. Associated with reproductive effects in males. Classified reproductive toxicant.
Regulatory consensus
21 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate. The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECHA (EU) | — | SVHC - Substance of Very High Concern | |
| US EPA | — | RfD: 20 μg/kg/day | |
| EFSA | — | TDI: 50 μg/kg/day | |
| NTP (US) | — | Reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen | |
| California Prop 65 | — | Listed as causing cancer and reproductive toxicity | |
| IARC | 2012 | Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) | |
| US EPA | 2022 | Suggestive evidence of carcinogenic potential | Hepatocellular adenoma in rodents |
| EPA CTX / NIOSH | — | potential occupational carcinogen | |
| EPA CTX / IRIS | — | B2 (Probable human carcinogen - based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in animals) | |
| EPA CTX / NTP RoC | — | Reasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen | |
| EPA CTX / IARC | — | Group 2B - Possibly carcinogenic to humans | |
| EPA CTX / EPA OPP | — | Group B2 Probable Human Carcinogen | |
| EPA CTX / CalEPA | — | Known human carcinogen | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: negative, 6 positive / 56 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: negative, 6 positive / 56 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Eye Irritation: Category 2B (score: moderate) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Skin Irritation: Not classified (score: low) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | Skin Sensitization: Not classified (score: low) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | skin sensitisation: in vivo (non-LLNA): Not likely to be sensitizing (score: low) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | eye irritation: in vivo: Studies Indicate No Significant Irritation (score: low) | |
| EPA CTX / Skin-Eye | — | skin irritation: in vivo: Moderate or Mild Irritation (score: moderate) |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where you encounter di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate
-
Consumer Products
— Vinyl flooring and wall coverings, Flexible PVC products, Food storage containers and plastic wraps, Personal care products
Ubiquitous use as plasticizer in flexible PVC; leaching occurs especially with fatty foods and heat
-
Food
— Fatty and oily foods packaged in PVC, Processed foods in plastic containers, Dairy products in flexible packaging
Migration from food-contact materials; higher transfer with heat and fatty food content
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Medical Devices
— PVC tubing in medical equipment, Blood bags and IV tubing, Flexible catheters
Significant exposure route in medical settings; leaching into blood products and infusates
-
Indoor Environment
— Dust from vinyl flooring and furnishings, Indoor air from off-gassing of plastic products, House dust
Detected in indoor dust and air; inhalation and ingestion of contaminated dust are exposure pathways
-
Occupational Settings
— Plastic manufacturing facilities, Medical device production, PVC processing and compounding operations
Workers exposed during production, handling, and processing of phthalate-containing materials
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate:
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DINCH (1,2-Cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester)
Trade-offs: Zero point-of-use emissions; shifts emissions to power generation (grid-dependent); lower operating cost; higher capital cost; infrastructure requirements (charging, grid capacity); rapidly improving economics.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
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DEHTP (Bis(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate)
Trade-offs: Zero point-of-use emissions; shifts emissions to power generation (grid-dependent); lower operating cost; higher capital cost; infrastructure requirements (charging, grid capacity); rapidly improving economics.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
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DINP (Diisononyl phthalate)
Trade-offs: Industrial process alternative; requires compatibility testing with existing equipment and processes; regulatory compliance verification needed; cost and availability may vary by region.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
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DOTP (Dioctyl terephthalate)
Trade-offs: Direct chemical substitution requires verification that the replacement does not introduce new hazards (regrettable substitution). Conduct full hazard assessment of proposed alternative before adoption.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
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Citrate esters
Trade-offs: Direct chemical substitution requires verification that the replacement does not introduce new hazards (regrettable substitution). Conduct full hazard assessment of proposed alternative before adoption.Relative cost: 2-5× conventional
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DINCH (hexamol)
Trade-offs: Industrial process alternative; requires compatibility testing with existing equipment and processes; regulatory compliance verification needed; cost and availability may vary by region.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
Frequently asked questions
What products contain di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate?
Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate appears in: Vinyl flooring and wall coverings (Consumer products); Flexible PVC products (Consumer products); Fatty and oily foods packaged in PVC (Food); Processed foods in plastic containers (Food); PVC tubing in medical equipment (Medical devices).
Why do regulators disagree about di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate?
Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate has been classified by 21 agencies including ECHA (EU), US EPA, EFSA, NTP (US), California Prop 65, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate in the food app
Look up products containing di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in food View raw API dataReference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →