Ethylene oxide belongs to heterocyclic compounds and is an important petrochemical product. It is not only one of the best cold disinfectants, but also an effective broad-spectrum sterilizer. Ethylene oxide is a genetic toxic substance. Human exposure to ethylene oxide can cause vomiting, headache, dyspnea, diarrhea and skin damage, and even affect reproduction. Long-term ingestion may cause cancer. In 2017, ethylene oxide was listed as a class 1 carcinogen in the preliminary compilation reference list of carcinogens published by the Who's International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Ethylene oxide is a genotoxic substance that can cause vomiting, headache, dyspnea, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, eye and skin damage, and even affect fertility. Long-term ingestion may cause cancer. Long-term exposure to even low concentrations of ethylene oxide can cause neurasthenic syndrome and vegetative neurological disorders.
Therefore, for the consideration of toxicological factors, many countries have eliminated the use of ethylene oxide fumigating food.
The necessity of ethylene oxide testing limits
Health hazards: is a central nervous inhibitor, irritant and plasma poison.
Chronic effects: long-term exposure to a small amount, neurasthenic syndrome and vegetative neurological dysfunction can be seen.
Environmental hazard: Harmful to the environment.
Inflammable, toxic, carcinogenic, irritating and sensitizing.
Acute poisoning: patients have severe pulsatile headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, tearing, choking, chest tightness, dyspnea; Heavy person whole body muscle trembles, speech obstacle, ataxia, perspire, consciousness is not clear, as a result coma. Myocardial damage and abnormal liver function can also be seen. After rescue restores, can have transient mental disorder, delay sends sexual function sex aphasia or central sex hemiplegia. Skin contact quickly redness and swelling, several hours after blistering, repeated contact can be sensitized. Fluid splashes into the eye, causing corneal burns.
On October 27, 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a preliminary list of carcinogens for reference, ethylene oxide in the list of class 1 carcinogens.
In China, ethylene oxide is not a legal food disinfectant and insecticide at present, China's "Disinfection Technical Specifications" (2002 edition)(Health Law Jianfa [2002]282) clearly stipulates that ethylene oxide is not suitable for the sterilization of food.
In other countries, epoxy ethane is often used for fumigation workshop, warehouse, and even food, especially grain, oil crops, spices, dried vegetables, because epoxy ethane very good sterilization effect of deinsectization, but for some products in other countries are also made clear the limited requirements, mainly concentrated in food, pharmaceutical industry, such as the United States, Canada, eu, etc.
Therefore, it is necessary to limit the amount of ethylene oxide in products involving consumption or long-term exposure, so as to avoid unexpected situations caused by excessive ethylene oxide.
