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# Endocrine-Disrupting "Food-Additive"?!?
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/endocrine-disrupting_food-additive_0712160111/
- Published: 2016-07-12T14:08:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T14:39:21.000Z
- Description: EWG asks readers to tell the FDA to stop allowing phthalates as food additives. The chemicals leach from plastic packaging and vinyl tubing into food, run highest in fatty foods like milk and cheese, and research shows the average infant diet exceeds EPA safe levels.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Chemical, Food Safety, #vivvo-import

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals permeate our environment and some of the worst are phthalates, linked to genital defects in boys, asthma, endometriosis and learning disabilities. They’re common ingredients in household plastics and personal care products.

But, here's what's really bad: **They even contaminate our food.**

Phthalates are “plasticizers” and are commonly used in plastic food packaging and food handling materials, such as vinyl tubing. Unfortunately, these chemicals don’t stay put. Instead, they leach into food and the FDA allows them as “food additives.”

*Disgusting.* Phthalates do NOT belong in our food. The FDA needs to hear from you today. We're trying to get 25,000 American consumers to tell the FDA: "We want these hormone disrupting chemicals out of our food!"

[**Tell the FDA that phthalates are not “food additives” and ask them to ensure phthalates don’t contaminate our food.**](http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=X%2F6zP%2B0ynw%2Fkw30HPjLRk%2BNyi93Fvpu9&ref=foodconsumer.org)

[](http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=RuggpzktbjZZdb6ztfxT78pj5KyMOmUS&ref=foodconsumer.org)

Phthalates are so bad that they're on EWG’s and Keep a Breast’s Dirty Dozen List of Endocrine Disruptors, right up there with BPA, fire retardants and lead.

They're commonly used in gloves, tubing and packaging, and come in contact with food at every stage of production. Phthalate levels are highest in high-fat foods, such as milk and cheese, which are common in the diets of young children.

Phthalates are so dangerous that the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned six of them from use in children’s toys, but research shows that the average infant diet exceeds safe levels of phthalates as set by the EPA. If these chemicals don’t belong in toys, they certainly have no place in food.

[**Take action today: Stand with EWG and tell the FDA to ban phthalates from our food!**](http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=JcokWCzrV%2Ft23le7HeVl5spj5KyMOmUS&ref=foodconsumer.org)

Thanks for your support,   
  
Sonya Lunder  
Senior Research Analyst, EWG

[**Contribute**](http://action.ewg.org/salsa/track.jsp?v=2&c=TBJReOjnTIlGAldQy3QLr8pj5KyMOmUS&ref=foodconsumer.org)