Diisodecyl phthalate

Diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) is a commonly used plasticizer used in the production of plastic and plastic coating to increase flexibility. It is a mixture of compounds derived from the esterification of phthalic acid and isomeric decyl alcohols.

The coating on furnishings, cookware, pharmaceutical pills, food wrappers and many other products may have DIDP or other phthalates in them. There has been recent concern in the USA and European Union for their toxicity and bioaccumulative quality. The European Union has set a maximum specific migration limit from food contact materials of 9 mg/kg food for the sum of diisodecyl phthalates and diisononyl phthalates.