title: Migration of trimellitic acid from epoxy anhydride can coatings into foods.
abstract: The migration of trimellitic acid and its esters from epoxy anhydride coatings was determined in simulants as well as in canned foods. The most appropriate simulant was a combination of EC simulants B and C: 2% acetic acid/10% ethanol in water. The average migration into food was 900 microg kg(-1). This far exceeds the 50 microg kg(-1) for which the safety of trimellitic acid and its anhydride is ensured and the Swiss legal limit (QM(T) of 5 mg kg(-1) coating). Furthermore, much trimellitic acid migrated as (unidentified) esters, i.e. toxicological testing of free trimellitic acid is inadequate for the material that in reality migrates.
authors.affiliation: Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fankhauser-Noti
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grob
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D004952:Esters / Q000032:analysis; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D027845:Malus / Q000737:chemistry; D008745:Methylation; D018532:Pisum sativum / Q000737:chemistry; D012015:Reference Standards; D014233:Tricarboxylic Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D004952:Esters; D014233:Tricarboxylic Acids; C014871:trimellitic acid