Ethylene Oxide Use in Grains and Legumes: Risks and Management

What are the Risks of Ethylene Oxide in Food?

Ethylene oxide (EO) is a gas used in the agriculture and food sector to control microbial contamination. However, the use of ethylene oxide in cereals and legumes can lead to serious controversy due to its potential negative health impacts.

What is Ethylene Oxide?

Ethylene oxide is a chemical gas that provides sterilization at low temperatures. It is used in the food, agriculture, and medical sectors thanks to its ability to destroy bacteria, fungi, mold, and other harmful microorganisms.

Sterilization Tool: Ethylene oxide is often preferred to improve the safety of grains and legumes, which often have a long shelf life.
Residue Risk: After processing, products may contain residues of both ethylene oxide and one of its by-products, 2-chloroethanol.

Use of Ethylene Oxide in Grains and Legumes

Grains and legumes can become contaminated with fungi, mycotoxins or pests during prolonged storage and transportation. To combat these problems, the use of ethylene oxide was common in the past. However:

Contamination Prevention: Used to improve food safety.
Microbial Control: Protects product quality by inhibiting the growth of mold and bacteria.
Extending Storage Time: The application makes long-term storage of products possible.

Today, the use of ethylene oxide in the food industry is banned or restricted in many countries due to health risks.

What are the Risks of Ethylene Oxide in Grains and Legumes?

There are some serious risks associated with the use of ethylene oxide and its by-products:

1. Carcinogenic Effects: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified ethylene oxide as “carcinogenic to humans”. Long-term exposure can increase the incidence of cancers, especially leukemia and lymphoma.

2. Genotoxic Effect: It can cause DNA damage, leading to genetic mutations. This effect seriously threatens human health in the long term.

3. Toxic by-products: 2-chloroethanol is a by-product of the use of ethylene oxide and has toxic properties.

4. Food Safety and Consumer Health: Residue levels in foods can threaten consumer health. International regulations therefore strictly limit maximum residue limits (MRLs).

International Regulations on the Use of Ethylene Oxide

European Union (EU): The EU has largely banned the use of ethylene oxide in food products and set residue limit values at very low levels. For example:

MRL for cereals and legumes: below 0.05 mg/kg.
Products are withdrawn from the market if residues are found.

USA: FDA (Food and Drug Administration) limits the use of ethylene oxide in certain products and mandates residue testing.

Turkey: The Turkish Food Codex limits the use of ethylene oxide in foods in line with EU standards. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry imposes strict residue controls on imported and domestic products.

Nano-lab Laboratories Group continues to provide services within the scope of Mycotoxin Analysis. We also provide services on Ammonia Determination in Chicken Meat Products.

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