Migration of acetyl-tributylcitrate from plastic film into poultry products during microwave cooking.

Migration of the plasticizer acetyl-tributylcitrate from a plastic film into poultry meat and model food systems was studied. It was determined that this commonly used plasticizer migrated from the plastic film during microwave cooking by comparing the infrared spectra of the film used to cover the chicken to unused film. The peak at 1730 cm-1 was substantially reduced in the used film relative to a standard band at 2920 cm-1. Subsequent experimentation verified by chemical analysis that the compound was acetyl-tributylcitrate and that it migrated from the film into the chicken meat. Experiments using comminuted chicken meat and model food systems in a test cell indicated that the migration of the plasticizer was time related with a plateau being reached after cooking for 8 min. Studies with model food systems in the test cell indicated that the lipid portion of the system was responsible for migration and retention of acetyl-tributylcitrate in the sample. Increasing the lipid portion of the system tended to increase the amount of plasticizer found.