A year and half after the first notification about the presence of ethylene oxide residues in sesame seeds, in Belgium, in the first quarter of 2022 numerous reports continue to be registered. The alert monitoring system developed and managed by Mérieux NutriSciences detected 284 notifications throughout Europe.
At the European level it continues to be a debated topic, during the meeting of March 24th 2022, Member States discussed the possibility of amending Regulation (EU) 231/2012 regarding the presence of ethylene oxide in food additives.
Ethylene oxide contamination has challenged the food industries in several sectors: bakery, dairy and ice cream products, canning industries, and food supplements.
Ethylene oxide is a fumigant typically used for the sterilization and disinfection of medical devices. Applied on food in some importing extra-European Countries, ethylene oxide is used by these countries for the treatment of soil, storage areas and the food itself.
Alternatives to ethylene oxide
Looking at the fact that ethylene oxide is still a major player and considering the impact that this contamination has caused on many food businesses, are there any possible alternatives?
Alternative treatments to ethylene oxide can be physical such as heat or radiation, or chemical, using other fumigants that should not harm food products, leave no hazardous residues, should be safe for use on food, and allowed in international markets.
For some substances with antimicrobial properties, there are experimental or applicative experiences of use as food decontaminants; some examples are propylene oxide, methyl bromide, chlorine dioxide, formaldehyde, ozone, etc.
Mérieux NutriSciences focuses on Propylene Oxide
Propylene Oxide is a chemical compound used to control infestation and microbial growth in certain food commodities such as herbs and spices and dried fruits.
In the US, it is allowed as a microbial reduction technique, as ethylene oxide and irradiation, and the Code of Federal Regulations defines the residues tolerance in certain foodstuffs. On the other hand, Europe does not allow it uses in plant protection products;therefore, according to Regulation (EC) 396/2005, the default limit 0,01 mg/kg should be applied as there are nospecific limits.
Mérieux NutriSciences has given and gives support to agri-food, feed and food supplement companies to quickly respond to the food safety alert related to ethylene oxide.
In the same way, thanks to its chemistry experts, it is now able to propose the determination of Propylene Oxide and its metabolites 1-chloro-2-propanol and 2-chloro-1-propanol on food, feed and food supplements matrices.