並列摘要
In May 2011, the illegal use of plasticizers to replace palm oil as clouding agents for use in beverages and foods created widespread panic among the majority of Taiwanese. Plasticizers as chemical additives, were added in place of clouding agents to foods or drinks to make them more appealing in color and texture. This event resulted in food safety fear not only across Taiwan but also in foreign countries-where food safety authorities implemented stricter inspections of products from Taiwan which influenced the nation's image. Now, the illegal use of phthalate plasticizers as additives in food has been brought under control, yet plasticizers exposure never disappears. These chemicals are widely used in the plastics industry as well, usually in the forms of food packaging, plastic bags, medical devices, children's products, and they may evaporate into food or the atmosphere or could be directly absorbed by our bodies after long-term use. The appropriate use of plasticizers has therefore become an international issue.