A musty flavour defect in calcium caseinate due to chemical tainting by 2,4,6-tribromophenol and 2,4,6-tribromoanisole

A musty flavour defect in calcium caseinate that was due to tainting by 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA) is described. The concentration of TBA in tainted calcium caseinate was between 2 and 560 μg kg−1; substantially above the sensory threshold (0.02 μg kg−1 in a 10% calcium caseinate solution). The TBA was derived from 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP) that had contaminated materials that were used in the calcium caseinate supply chain. TBP is readily converted to TBA by environmental fungi. Potential TBP sources identified in this investigation were timber shipping container floors, and slipsheets constructed from recycled plastics that were used for transporting stacks of calcium caseinate. The TBP sources identified were consistent with trends in the increased industrial use of this chemical in wood products and plastics.