New 'high safety' plastic chemical linked to lower birth weight
A peer-reviewed study links exposure to DINCH, a plasticizer used in food packaging, to lower birth weight and fetal complications.
At a glance
- Exposure to DINCH, a plasticizer used in food packaging, is linked to lower birth weight and fetal complications.
- Each tenfold increase in DINCH exposure was associated with a 27-gram reduction in newborn birth weight.
- Researchers call the pattern 'regrettable substitution,' replacing one dangerous chemical with another similar compound.
A peer-reviewed study has found that exposure to DINCH—a plasticizer marketed as a "high safety," nontoxic alternative to phthalates—is linked to lower birth weight and fetal development complications. The analysis, led by NYU Langone Health researchers, looked at data from over 6,600 pregnancies in the NIH's Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (Echo) Program.
Up to 70% of women showed DINCH in their urine, and each tenfold increase in exposure was associated with a 27-gram reduction in newborn birth weight. The average newborn weighs about 3,400 grams. The study is the first to link DINCH to lower birth weights and birth lengths.
Previous animal and cell studies suggest DINCH by-products can interfere with hormones that guide fetal development and may trigger inflammation affecting nutrient and oxygen delivery to the baby. Fetal growth problems can raise the risk for heart disease, learning difficulties, obesity, and other issues that echo into adulthood.
The chemical, formally named 1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester, is widely used in soft plastic food packaging in the US and EU, as well as children's toys, medical devices, textiles, and flooring. Global production jumped from 25,000 tons in 2002 to 400,000 tons in 2024, with BASF among major producers.
Researchers describe the pattern as "regrettable substitution"—replacing one dangerous chemical with another similar compound. The Food Packaging Forum, based in Switzerland, is conducting health research on DINCH, noting evidence that it migrates from packaging into food and levels in the EU population have been rising.
Lead author Leonardo Trasande said the findings raise serious concerns about regrettable substitution and called for stronger oversight requiring chemicals be tested before market introduction rather than after health concerns emerge. He noted the UN plastics treaty under negotiation as an opportunity to establish better policies.
Source: The Guardian.
Questions and answers
- What is DINCH?
- DINCH is formally named 1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester, a plasticizer used in soft plastic food packaging in the US and EU, children's toys, medical devices, and other consumer goods.
- How much did DINCH exposure reduce birth weight?
- Each tenfold increase in DINCH exposure resulted in a 27-gram reduction in newborn birth weight, according to the NYU study.
- What do researchers say about DINCH?
- Lead author Leonardo Trasande called the findings serious concerns about 'regrettable substitution,' urging stronger chemical testing before market introduction.
