Food grade butanone certification standards and impurity control requirements

In the food industry, butanone, as a common food additive, is widely used in flavors, fragrances, food preservatives and other fields. Since food grade butanone comes into direct contact with food, its safety and purity are strictly regulated. This paper will analyze the certification standards and impurity control requirements of food grade butanone in detail to help relevant enterprises better understand and meet the market demand.

What is food grade butanone?

Food grade methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) is a colorless, flammable liquid with a special aroma. It is mainly used in the production of flavors and fragrances in the food industry, and can also be used as a food preservative. Due to its stable chemical properties, butanone can effectively extend the shelf life of food during food processing, so the market demand is increasing year by year.

Food grade butanone certification standards

The certification standards of food grade butanone are mainly based on the food additive regulations of various countries or regions. The following are common certification standards:

1. United States USP standard (United States Pharmacopeia)

According to USP standards, food grade butanone must meet the following requirements:

• Purity ≥ 99.5%;
• Moisture content ≤ 0.2%;
• Acidic substance (in terms of formic acid) ≤ 0.005%;
• Other than the above-mentioned substances of impurities total ≤ 0.5%.

2. European EP Standard (European Pharmacopeia)

The European EP standard for butanone is similar to the USP standard, but the detection of certain impurities is more stringent. For example, there are clear regulations for colored substances, heavy metal content and volatile impurities in butanone.

3. China GB standard (national standard)

The requirements of China's food additive standard (GB) for butanone are mainly focused on purity, moisture, pH and color. Specific indicators include:

• Purity ≥ 99.0%;
• Moisture content ≤ 0.2%;
• pH value between 6.0 and 8.5;
• Chroma does not exceed 10 colorimetric tubes.

Impurity Control Requirements

The impurity control of food grade butanone is the key link to ensure its safety and stability. The following are common impurities and their control requirements:

1. Moisture control

Moisture is one of the most common impurities in the production of butanone. Because butanone is hygroscopic, if the moisture content is too high, it will not only affect its solubility and stability, but also may cause product deterioration. Therefore, the moisture content of food grade butanone is usually required to be <0.2%.

2. Acidic substance control

Acidic substances (such as formic acid, acetic acid, etc.) are another type of impurity in the production of butanone. The presence of acidic substances can affect the odor and stability of butanone, and even pose a potential threat to human health. Therefore, the acidic substance content of food grade butanone should be strictly controlled at ≤ 0.005%.

3. Colored substances control

The colored substances in butanone may come from the raw materials or by-products of the manufacturing process. These substances not only affect the appearance of the product, but may also mask product quality problems. Therefore, the color of food grade butanone should meet the standard, usually requiring no more than 10 colorimetric tubes.

4. Heavy metal control

Heavy metal pollution is a problem that needs to be controlled in the production process of food grade butanone. Heavy metals (such as lead, arsenic, etc.) not only cause serious harm to human health, but also may cause products to be eliminated from the market. Therefore, the heavy metal content in butanone must meet the relevant standards, usually requiring lead ≤ 0.001 ppm and arsenic ≤ 0.0001 ppm.

Quality inspection and certification process

In order to ensure the compliance of food grade butanone, manufacturers need to establish a strict quality inspection system. The following are common quality testing and certification processes:

1. Raw materials and production process control

Production enterprises should control the quality of raw materials from the source and strictly control the production process. For example, the use of high-purity base materials, the use of advanced separation and refining technology to reduce the production of impurities.

2. Regular testing

Enterprises should regularly test the quality of butanone products, including purity, moisture, acidic substances, color and heavy metals and other indicators. Detection methods usually include gas chromatography (GC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-OES).

3. Authentication and identification

Products that pass the test must meet the relevant certification standards, and the product name, purity, production date, production license number and other information must be clearly marked on the packaging. Companies are also required to provide product quality inspection reports to prove the compliance of their products.

Summary

As an important food additive, the certification standards and impurity control requirements of food grade butanone are directly related to product safety and market competitiveness. Manufacturers need to strictly follow the standards of various countries or regions for production and testing to ensure that product quality meets market requirements. Enterprises also need to continuously optimize the production process to reduce the production of impurities to meet the growing consumer demand for food additive safety.

Through the analysis of this paper, we hope that enterprises can better understand the certification standards and impurity control requirements of food-grade butanone, so as to occupy a favorable position in the fierce market competition.