Kumi Suzuki

Chlorohydrins of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) and of bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE) in canned foods and ready-to-drink coffees from the Japanese market.

BADGE.2HCl and BFDGE.2HCl were determined in 28 samples of ready-to-drink canned coffee and 18 samples of canned vegetables (10 corn, 5 tomatoes and 3 others), all from the Japanese market. HPLC was used as the principal analytical method and GCMS for confirmation of relevant LC fractions. BADGE.2HCl was found to be present in one canned coffee and five samples of corn, BFDGE.2HCl in four samples of canned tomatoes and in one canned corn. No sample was found which exceeded the 1mg/kg limit of the EU for the BADGE chlorohydrins. However the highest concentration was found for the sum of BFDGE.2HCl and BFDGE.HCl.H2O at a level of 1.5mg/kg. A Beilstein test confirmed that all cans containing foods contaminated with BADGE.2HCl or BFDGE.2HCl had at lest one part coated with a PVC organosol.

Survey of residual solvents in natural food additives by standard addition head-space GC

Residual levels of 12 solvents in 87 natural food additives (66 samples of food colours, 19 samples of natural antioxidants and two natural preservatives) collected between 1997 and 1999 were determined by automated head-space GC using FID, with a porouspolymer (PLOT) column. Calibration curves were prepared by the method of standard addition. Confirmation was by manually injected head-space GC using mass spectrometric detection. 1,2-Dichloroethane was found in turmeric colour (natural food colour) collected in 1997 at the concentrations of 8.6 µg g-1, but was not found in samples collected in 1998 and 1999. Hexane was found in three samples of dunaliella carotene (11, 72 and 75 µg g-1), and in chlorophyll at 93 µg g-1 (both natural food colours). Acetone was found in turmeric colour, annatto colour, dunaliella carotene, kaoliang colour, cacao colour at a concentration between 8.7 and 42 µg g-1 (all natural food colours).

市販にがり(粗製海水塩化マグネシウム)の品質調査

Contents of minerals (Mg, Ca, Na and K), anions (SO4(2-), Br- and Cl) and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Hg and As) were determined in 17 commercial samples of Nigari, 15 samples of crude magnesium chloride (sea water) products as a food additive and 2 magnesium-containing foods. Obtained values were compared with the specifications proposed in a draft of the eighth edition of Japans Specifications and Standards for Food Additives. Out of 15 food additive samples, only 5 samples satisfied the specification. Since the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) proposed to lower the limits of heavy metals in food additives, a simple method was developed for the determination of low levels of Pb and Cd by extracting chelates of these metals with organic solvents. The quantification limits for Pb and Cd were 0.5 microg/g and 0.05 microg/g, respectively. It was estimated from the SO4(2-)/Ca ratios that 15 samples were sea water evaporation products, and the remaining 2 were ion-exchange membrane process products. No pollution with heavy metals was found in any of the samples.

Survey on Metals Contained in Stainless Steel Kitchenware and Tableware

Stainless steel kitchenware and tableware on sale in Japan were investigated. Surface elemental composition ratios of 172 samples were analyzed by the fluorescence X-ray method. High levels of manganese (9.59-20.03%)were detected in 17 samples. This finding was confirmed by ICP analysis. Next, we conducted migration tests. Samples conformed to the Italian Specific Migration Limits. Moreover, lead and antimony were not detected in these samples, in accordance with the Japanese Food Sanitation Law.

Determination of the aromatic hydrocarbon to total hydrocarbon ratio of mineral oil in commercial lubricants

ABSTRACT A method was developed to determine the aromatic hydrocarbon to total hydrocarbon ratio of mineral oil in commercial lubricants; a survey was also conducted of commercial lubricants. Hydrocarbons in lubricants were separated from the matrix components of lubricants using a silica gel solid phase extraction (SPE) column. Normal-phase liquid chromatography (NPLC) coupled with an evaporative light-scattering detector (ELSD) was used to determine the aromatic hydrocarbon to total hydrocarbon ratio. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled with a diode array detector (DAD) and a refractive index detector (RID) was used to estimate carbon numbers and the presence of aromatic hydrocarbons, which supplemented the results obtained by NPLC/ELSD. Aromatic hydrocarbons were not detected in 12 lubricants specified for use for incidental food contact, but were detected in 13 out of 22 lubricants non-specified for incidental food contact at a ratio up to 18%. They were also detected in 10 out of 12 lubricants collected at food factories at a ratio up to 13%. The centre carbon numbers of hydrocarbons in commercial lubricants were estimated to be between C16 and C50.

Aluminium content of foods originating from aluminium-containing food additives

ABSTRACT Aluminium (Al) levels of 90 food samples were investigated. Nineteen samples contained Al levels exceeding the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) for young children [body weight (bw): 16 kg] when consuming two servings/week. These samples were purchased multiple times at specific intervals and were evaluated for Al levels. Al was detected in 27 of the 90 samples at levels ranging from 0.01 (limit of quantitation) to 1.06 mg/g. Of these, the Al intake levels in two samples (cookie and scone mix, 1.3 and 2 mg/kg bw/week, respectively) exceeded the TWI as established by European Food Safety Authority, although the level in the scone mix was equivalent to the provisional TWI (PTWI) as established by Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives. The Al levels markedly decreased in 14 of the 19 samples with initially high Al levels. These results indicated reductions in the Al levels to below the PTWI limits in all but two previously identified food samples.