Photo: Clariant
BLEACHING EARTHS
With the EU currently looking at legislation to control levels of 3-MCPD esters, bleaching earths play an important role in migitating this critical process contaminant Vinicius Celinski
Adsorbents to tackle 3-MCPD The role of bleaching earths in mitigating 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol ester (3-MCPDE) formation is an important one, especially with the EU currently considering legislation to control its level in food. Humans are exposed to 3-MCPDEs from consuming refined oils or food products containing refined oils, such as infant formula, dietary supplements, fried potato products and bakery products. The occurrence of 3-MCPDEs in food oils was first reported in the mid-2000s. The EU is proposing two maximum thresholds for vegetable and fish oils and fats intended for consumers or for use as food ingredients: • 1,250µg/kg for unrefined oils, refined
20 OFI – JUNE 2020
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oils and fats from coconut, maize, rapeseed, olives (except olive pomace oil) sunflower, soyabean and palm kernel and mixtures of oils and fats from this category only. • 2,500µg/kg for other refined vegetable oils (including olive pomace oil), fish oil and oils of other marine organisms and mixtures of oils and fats from this category only. Research has shown that 3-MCPDEs are primarily formed during the deodorisation step of edible oil refining. There, the high temperatures that are applied unlock the potential of key factors – such as acidity, chlorine precursor nature and content – to become active. Even before this step is reached, good u
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04/06/2020 15:29:11
