[Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)--health aspects and food packaging application].
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) due to its physicochemical properties, especially regidity and glass-like transparency is widely used as food packaging material. The relevant legislation states that substances may not migrate from food contacting materials in quantities that may cause undesirable changes in organoleptic properties of food coming into contact with such material. The lists of substances authorized for food contact plastic materials and requirements for the final product were established. The requirements concern global migration limits (60 mg/kg or 10 mg/dm2) and specific migration limits (SML) set for substances which, when migrate into food in grater quantities may cause risk for human health. For the products manufactured from PET the specific migration limits were set for terephthalic acid (7.5 mg/kg), for isophthalic acid (5 mg/kg), for isophthalic acid dimethyl ester (0.05 mg/kg) and for ethylene and diethylene glycol (30 mg/kg). PET may undergo thermal degradation resulting in formation of acetaldehyde, which may influence organoleptic characteristics of packaged foods changing taste and smell.
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Zakład Badania Zywności i Przedmiotów Uzytku, Państwowy Zakład Higieny, 00-791 Warszawa, ul. Chocimska 24.
D019855:Ethylene Glycol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards; D005026:Ethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007881:Legislation, Food; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards; D011044:Poland; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control
D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; C059768:isophthalate; C013484:diethylene glycol; C011363:terephthalic acid; D019855:Ethylene Glycol