title: Compositional analysis of samples of thermoset polyester and migration of ethylbenzene and styrene from thermoset polyester into pork during cooking.
abstract: The levels of ethylbenzene, styrene, benzene and benzaldehyde in samples of thermoset polyester were determined by dynamic headspace/gas chromatography. Styrene was present at levels from 50 to 1400 mg kg-1, ethylbenzene up to 25 mg kg-1 and benzaldehyde up to 180 mg kg-1. Benzene levels were usually less than 1 mg kg-1, but one article contained 19 mg kg-1. Levels of styrene dimers and trimers were estimated using size exclusion chromatography followed by gas chromatographic (GC) analysis and were present at approximately 100 mg kg-1 and 700 mg kg-1 respectively. The principal identified constituents of solvent extracts were stearic and palmitic acids, present at a combined level of nearly 1% by weight of the plastic. Styrene was shown to be produced by thermal depolymerization at temperatures of 175 degrees C and above. The migration of ethylbenzene and styrene into belly pork cooked in thermoset polyester dishes for 1.5 h at 175 degrees C was measured by Likens-Nickerson extraction of the cooked meat and GC/MS analysis of the extracts. Migration ranged from 6 to 2400 micrograms kg-1 for styrene and from < 6 to 34 micrograms kg-1 for ethylbenzene.
authors.affiliation: Procter Department of Food Science, University of Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Gramshaw
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Vandenburg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001547:Benzaldehydes / Q000032:analysis; D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000032:analysis*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D003297:Cooking and Eating Utensils; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005504:Food Analysis; D005506:Food Contamination; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006358:Hot Temperature; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000032:analysis*; D020058:Styrene; D013343:Styrenes / Q000032:analysis*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D001547:Benzaldehydes; D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D005227:Fatty Acids; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011091:Polyesters; D013343:Styrenes; D020058:Styrene; D001554:Benzene; C004912:ethylbenzene; C032175:benzaldehyde