Academic Journal
Ethylene Oxide and 2-Chloroethanol in Foods: Hazards, Detection Markers, and Regulatory Perspectives.
| Τίτλος: | Ethylene Oxide and 2-Chloroethanol in Foods: Hazards, Detection Markers, and Regulatory Perspectives. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Choi H; Food Safety Policy Bureau, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Osong, Republic of Korea.; Department of Food and Medical Products Regulatory Policy, Dongguk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea., Ahn Y; Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Dongguk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea., Park Y; Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Dongguk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. |
| Πηγή: | Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety [Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf] 2026 Sep; Vol. 25 (5), pp. e70635. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Review |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Institute of Food Technologists Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101305205 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1541-4337 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 15414337 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Chicago, Ill. : Institute of Food Technologists |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Food Contamination*/analysis , Food Contamination*/legislation & jurisprudence , Ethylene Oxide*/analysis , Ethylene Oxide*/toxicity , Ethylene Chlorohydrin*/analysis , Ethylene Chlorohydrin*/toxicity, Biomarkers/analysis ; Food Safety ; Humans ; Food Analysis |
| Περίληψη: | Ethylene oxide (EO) has re-emerged as a major food safety concern, with findings in spices, sesame, dried vegetables, food additives, and composite foods revealing persistent gaps between toxicological hazard, analytical detectability, and regulatory interpretation. In current food control practice, 2-chloroethanol (2-CE) is often the dominant analyte because parent EO is highly volatile and reactive; however, the scientific basis for treating 2-CE as a surrogate for EO remains contested. This review examines EO-related residues through three integrated lenses: the chemistry and toxicological significance of EO and its reaction products, the analytical determination and interpretation of residues across food matrices, and the international regulatory divergence that hinders harmonization. Evidence indicates that EO itself is a compound of clear toxicological concern, whereas 2-CE is better understood as a policy-relevant marker of EO-related chemistry whose meaning depends on matrix context, processing history, and regulatory purpose. Processed and composite foods intensify this challenge by weakening the link between analytical findings and source attribution. Overall, EO is not simply a residue monitoring issue but an interpretive problem created by the misalignment of hazard assessment, marker-based analytics, and regulatory decision-making. Progress will require clearer toxicological positioning of 2-CE, matrix-specific analytical reporting, structured source attribution frameworks, and closer alignment between national control systems and international standard-setting efforts. (© 2026 Institute of Food Technologists®.) |
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| Grant Information: | Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Osong, Republic of Korea |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: 2‐chloroethanol; analytical interpretation; ethylene oxide; food safety; processed foods; regulatory harmonization; residue analysis; spices |
| Substance Nomenclature: | JJH7GNN18P (Ethylene Oxide) 753N66IHAN (Ethylene Chlorohydrin) 0 (Biomarkers) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260831 Date Completed: 20260831 Latest Revision: 20260903 |
| Update Code: | 20260903 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13529922 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/1541-4337.70635 |
| PMID: | 42675029 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1541-4337 |
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| DOI: | 10.1111/1541-4337.70635 |