Ethylene Oxide Residue

What is Ethylene Oxide?

Ethylene oxide  is a carcinogenic, mutagenic, irritating, and anaesthetic gas, which is used to control insects as a fumigant. Ethylene oxide is industrially produced by oxidation of ethylene in the presence of silver catalyst.. Ethylene oxide is commonly used to prevent microbial contaminants such as Salmonella and E. coli, reduce bacterial loads, yeast and mold, coliforms and other pathogens. .Ethylene oxide is also used as a pesticide to control pests. It is employed instead of high temperature processes that may damage certain products such as herbs, spices and seeds. Coming to the chemical properties of Ethylene oxide (EO), it is a colorless, flammable, highly reactive, toxic gaseous organic compound with a characteristic ethereal odor. It is also known as Oxirane, Epoxyethane, Oxacyclopropane, Diethylene oxide, EO, ETO and EtO with the formula C2H4O. Ethylene oxide is generated from natural sources like water - logged soil, manure, and sewage sludge, but emissions from these natural sources are expected to be negligible compared to manmade chemical.

Ethylene oxide can destroy most viruses, bacteria and fungus including bacterial spores. Exposure to ETO residue is reported to cause severe health problems.

Reason of ETO contamination

Ethylene oxide leaves residue wherever it is used whether it can be used for sterilizing food products and food contact surfaces or pharmaceuticals or medical purposes or fumigants. This residue contamination might be due to

• Nature of the material
• Type of Packaging and material used
• Load configuration - the volume, density and overall configuration of the load on a pallet can also impact the ability of gas removal after ETO processing.

These residues can be removed to some extent by adopting few simple techniques like nitrogen washes, extended aeration and heat treatment.

Significance in food:

The recent recall of Sesame seeds exported from India due to the RASFF alert has put the spotlight on the issue of ETO residues in food. From September 2020 to February 2021, there were more than 500 recalls of food products in the EU because of ETO residue contamination.

The EU has released the regulation (EU) 2020/1540 and the same is published in the official Journal of the EU. It strengthens the control of sesame seeds at the borders. In addition to the analysis for salmonella, testing of Ethylene oxide and other pesticides need to be carried out

The maximum residue level of 0,05 mg/kg is applicable for ethylene oxide in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 396/2005

Link to the EC regulation  

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32020R1540&from=FR

EU has proposed separate Maximum residual limits (MRLs) for ethylene oxide and its primary metabolite 2-chloroethanol in different food and agriculture commodity ranging from 0.02 to 0.1 mg/kg (Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/868).

Due to the mutagenic properties, it possesses, International for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified ETO as a human carcinogen. Ethylene oxide may also form ethylene glycol (EG) and ethylene chlorohydrin (ECH) during chemical reactions, which are also toxic.

Exposure to ETO can cause:

• Irritation to the eyes, respiratory tract and skin
• Nausea and vomiting
• Central nervous system depression

Chronic exposure to Ethylene oxide is associated with an increased risk of cancer.

If food sterilised with Ethylene Oxide is not aerated properly, ETO residue can remain as residue. This can lead to the formation of 2-Chloroethanol, another toxic compound that is capable to cause damage to the heart, liver and kidneys as well as respiratory failure. Exposure to 2-Chloroethanol can sometimes led to death.

How Eurofins Can Help You Offer a Safe Product

We offer testing of food matrices for ETO contamination using GC-MS technique in our laboratory.

The test capability for ETO in important food matrices is tabulated below

Being a global leader in analytical testing services, we perform testing and analysis for diverse range of food products from all food groups, processed foods, raw materials, novel products. Our extensive testing services ensure safety of your food products and contributes to reduced risk conditions and increased consumer support.

Eurofins Significance

• Competence Centres with state-of-the-art equipment such as high-resolution GC, HPLCs, GCMSMS, FTIR, ELISA, HR-MS, GC-MS, HPLC, LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS, Real-time PCR, and NMR systems
• Fast turn-around time (TAT)
• Local contact with a Global Network
• Participation in industry associations and regulatory bodies allowing early advice on potential food scares and legal obligations
• Expert advice - testing schemes, on-site-check for hygiene and allergens, labelling advice and traceability
• Results you can rely on
• International presence