Public Health and Nutrition

Biography

Biography: Ming-Tsang Wu

Abstract

A major threat to public health involving phthalate-tainted foodstuffs occurred in Taiwan in 2011. Phthalates, mainly di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), were intentionally added to several categories of food commonly consumed by children. We investigated the relationship between intake of the phthalate-tainted foods and renal function in children. Children aged ≤ 10 years with possible phthalate exposure were enrolled between August 2012 and January 2013. Questionnaires were used to collect details of exposure to phthalate-tainted foodstuffs, and blood and urine samples were collected for clinical biochemical workups. The clinical biomarkers of renal injury, including urinary microalbumin, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), and β2-microglobulin, were measured. Exposure was categorized based on recommended tolerable daily intake level defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (0.02 mg/kg/day) and the European Food Safety Authority (0.05 mg/kg/day). We analyzed intake and renal function of 184 children whose intake of DEHP-tainted foods was known. Higher exposure to DEHP-tainted foods was significantly associated with increased risk for microalbuminuria (> 3.5 mg/mmol creatinine) (P = 0.02). Children in the high exposure group (daily DEHP intake (DDI) > 0.05 mg/kg/day) had 10.395 times the risk of microalbuminuria than the low exposure group (DDI ≤ 0.02 and > 0 mg/kg/day) and no exposure groups (95% CI = 1.096-98.580, P = 0.04) combined after adjustment. We conclude intake of DEHP from phthalate-tainted foods is a potential risk factor for microalbuminuria, a marker of glomerular injury in children. In this talk, I will also present the course of this incident and government response and management of the crisis.