Abstract: The content of Phthalates (PAEs) in plastic containers and the migration of PAEs to food were investigated so as to evaluate the health risk for human body. The contents of 16 kinds of PAEs in polypropylene (PP) plastic containers were determined with meteorological chromatography-mass spectrometry. Water, 4% acetic acid, 10% ethanol and Isooctane were selected as food simulants according to the requirements of GB/T 23296.1—2009 to investigate the change of the leaching rate of typical PAEs in plastic containers with time and temperature, and the health risk assessment model recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was used to evaluate the health risk caused by the migration of PAEs. The detection rates of Diethyl phthalate (DEP), Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Diphenyl phthalate (DPhP) and Di-n-octylphthalate (DNOP) in 16 PAEs were 100%, 100%, 78%, 78%, 92% and 85%, respectively. The concentration ranges were 0.140~0.829, 0.237~1.676, ND~0.995, ND~2.302, ND~1.714 and ND~0.213 mg ·g^-1 respectively. However, only four PAEs (DEP, DBP, DIBP and DEHP) were detected in the leaching experiments of four food simulants, and the leaching rate order was as follows: Isooctane, 10% Ethyl alcohol, 4% Acetic acid and Water. The higher the temperature, the longer the time and the higher the leaching rate. The health risk of exposure assessment showed that the carcinogenic risk of daily exposure of PAEs was 1.09×10^-8, 4.52×10^-8 and 1.83×10^-8 at 25, 40 and 55 ℃ respectively. The total non-carcinogenic risk was 1.10×10^-8, 3.62×10^-8 and 1.21×10^-8 respectively. The results show that PAEs can be transferred to food through contact with plastic food containers, but the health risk is within the range of acceptable levels recommended by the U.S. EPA.