Isolation and Determination of Chlorohydrins in Foods Fumigated with Ethylene Oxide or with Propylene Oxide

Abstract

Abstract Two isolative methods, steam distillation and sweep co-distillation, in conjunction with the ether extraction method, are described for the analysis of 2-chloroethanol in ethylene oxide-treated pepper, celery seed, paprika, turmeric, and gum tragacanth and for the analysis of l-chloro-2-propanol in propylene oxide-treated cocoa, walnut meats, tapioca starch, flour, glazed cherries, and glazed citron. Gas chromatography and infrared spectrophotometry were used to determine and identify the chlorohydrin present. Except in the analysis of propylene oxide-treated tapioca starch and flour, no single isolative method mentioned was applicable at a satisfactory level of sensitivity to all the food products studied. The best attainable levels of sensitivity were 25—50 ppm for sweep co-distillation, recovery range 64—92% ; 5—10 ppm for ether extraction, recovery range 64—92 % ; and 1 ppm for steam distillation, recovery range 50— 87%. Levels of 2-chloroethanol found in five food products commercially fumigated with ethylene oxide ranged from 45 ppm for paprika to 110 ppm for pepper. Levels of l-chloro-2-propanol found in six food products commercially treated with propylene oxide ranged from 4 ppm for cocoa to 47 ppm for glazed citron.