Fumigants and solvents in food processing: Some effects on food and health
1980
Hunter, Beatrice Trum
Toxic substances such as fumigants and solvents introduced into the food supply pose health hazards, and food processors should seek safer alternatives. Fumigants such as ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO), used to kill micro-organisms, produce breakdown products (e.g., chlorohydrins) that are ingested with food. No tolerance levels have been established for some of them. EO also causes nutrient losses in foods and has been linked with mutagenic effects in humans and animals. Both EO and PO appear in pre-prepared foods which are increasingly in demand. Methyl bromide, another fumigant used on flour and grains, leaves residues whose cumulative effects are not known. TCE, a toxic and carcinogenic solvent, was replaced by methylene chloride, which is currently being tested for carcinogenic potential. Hexane, though highly toxic, is commonly used in processing edible oils. Since so little is known of tolerance levels for these chemicals, use of safer techniques is recommended even at the expense of less efficient food extractions.
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