Oleamide, a Bioactive Compound, Unwittingly Introduced into the Human Body through Some Plastic Food/Beverages and Medicine Containers.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the migration of oleamide, a polymer lubricant, and a bioactive compound, from various plastic, marketed containers for food/beverages and medicines into polymer contact liquid. Methanol, food/medicine simulants or real samples were used to extract polymer leachables and extractables. Migrated oleamide into polymer contact liquids was determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). The concentration of oleamide in the extracts of medicinal and insulin syringes was 7351 ng mL and 21,984 ng mL, respectively. The leachates of intravenous () infusion bottle, medicinal and insulin syringes contained 17 ng mL, 12 ng mL and 152 ng mL, respectively. Oleamide in the extracts of dummies ranged from 30 to 39 ng mL, while in the leachates of baby bottles, from 12 to 23 ng mL. Leachates of soft drink bottles contained from 6 to 15 ng mL oleamide, milk bottles from 3 to 9 ng mL, liquid yogurt bottles 17 ng mL and water bottles from 11 to 18 ng mL. Bottled real matrices of oil and milk contained oleamide in the range from 217 to 293 ng mL. Moreover, the source of migrated oleamide (e.g., containers, caps, other parts) was identified. Oleamide is listed in the current EU regulations without a specific migration limit. Accordingly, these values are considered of no concern, unless future toxicological studies prove the opposite.