We provide you with the detection of ethylene oxide in fruits and vegetables, tea, plant extracts and other samples, to help enterprises timely and effectively understand the quality of the whole process of the product, effectively control possible risks, and help enterprises to ensure product safety.
Substance introduction
Ethylene oxide (EO) is a simple cyclic ether organic compound. It is a colorless transparent liquid at low temperature and a colorless gas with etheric irritating odor at room temperature. It has a broad spectrum and efficient bactericidal effect, and is one of the efficient chemical cryogenic sterilizers, which has been widely used in sterilization of medical devices. But in 2017, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified ethylene oxide as a Group 1 carcinogen.
Regulatory requirement
Eu Regulation EC 396/2005 requirements: the limit of ethylene oxide in food (calculated by the sum of ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol) should meet (some examples) : fruits, nuts: 0.1mg/kg; Seeds or fruits containing oil: 0.05mg/kg; Tea, coffee, Chinese herbs: 0.2mg/kg.
The EU Regulation 231/2012, which has been implemented since September 1, 2022, clearly stipulates that ethylene oxide cannot be used for disinfection of food additives, and that the residues of ethylene oxide in food additives (the total amount of ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol, in terms of ethylene oxide) cannot exceed 0.1mg/kg, including mixtures of food additives.
Test item | Test method | Limit of quantitation | Can undertake sample matrix |
ethylene oxide | In-house laboratory method | 0.01mg/kg | Fruits and vegetables, tea, plant extracts, flavorings, food additives, etc |