Isolation and detection of dialkyl phthalates from pork

Thin-layer chromatography (TLC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) indicate that lipid extracts from pork fat taken from commercial cuts of meat contain, as minor constituents, dialkyl phthalates (DAP). GC-MS revealed further that the most abundant phthalate component was a dioctyl ester. This class of compounds migrates on TLC plates with the neutral lipids, but when chromatographed on a silicic acid column these species appear in the glycolipid fraction. Examination of extracts from the plastic with which the meat was wrapped showed no aromatic esters. Thus, these substances either were accidentally introduced during processing or were already present in the live animal.