Biomaterial Database

Polystyrene cups and containers: styrene migration. 1998

M S Tawfik, and A Huyghebaert

Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture and Applied Biological Sciences, Ghent, Belgium.

The level of styrene migration from polystyrene cups was monitored in different food systems including: water, milk (0.5, 1.55 and 3.6% fat), cold beverages (apple juice, orange juice, carbonated water, cola, beer and chocolate drink), hot beverages (tea, coffee, chocolate and soup (0.0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3.6% fat), take away foods (yogurt, jelly, pudding and ice-cream), as well as aqueous food simulants (3% acetic acid, 15, 50, and 100% ethanol) and olive oil. Styrene migration was found to be strongly dependent upon the fat content and storage temperature. Drinking water gave migration values considerably lower than all of the fatty foods. Ethanol at 15% showed a migration level equivalent to milk or soup containing 3.6% fat. Maximum observed migration for cold or hot beverages and take-away foods was 0.025% of the total styrene in the cup. Food simulants were responsible for higher migration (0.37% in 100% ethanol). A total of 60 food samples (yogurt, rice with milk, fromage, biogardes, and cheese) packed in polystyrene containers were collected from retail markets in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. The level of styrene detected in the foods was always fat dependent.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011137	Polystyrenes	Polymerized forms of styrene used as a biocompatible material, especially in dentistry. They are thermoplastic and are used as insulators, for injection molding and casting, as sheets, plates, rods, rigid forms and beads.	Polystyrol,Polystyrene,Polystyrols
D002851	Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid	Liquid chromatographic techniques which feature high inlet pressures, high sensitivity, and high speed.	Chromatography, High Performance Liquid,Chromatography, High Speed Liquid,Chromatography, Liquid, High Pressure,HPLC,High Performance Liquid Chromatography,High-Performance Liquid Chromatography,UPLC,Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography,Chromatography, High-Performance Liquid,High-Performance Liquid Chromatographies,Liquid Chromatography, High-Performance
D003297	Cooking and Eating Utensils	Tools used in COOKING or EATING such as cutlery, pots, pans, and dishes.	Eating Utensils,Cooking Utensils,Cooking Utensil,Eating Utensil,Utensil, Cooking,Utensil, Eating,Utensils, Cooking,Utensils, Eating
D004041	Dietary Fats	Fats present in food, especially in animal products such as meat, meat products, butter, ghee. They are present in lower amounts in nuts, seeds, and avocados.	Fats, Dietary,Dietary Fat,Fat, Dietary
D005502	Food	Substances taken in by the body to provide nourishment.	Foods
D005503	Food Additives	Substances used in the processing or storage of foods or animal feed including ANTIOXIDANTS; FOOD PRESERVATIVES; FOOD COLORING AGENTS; FLAVORING AGENTS; ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS; EXCIPIENTS and other similarly used substances. Many of the same substances are used as PHARMACEUTIC AIDS.	Additive, Food,Additives, Food,Food Additive
D005506	Food Contamination	The presence in food of harmful, unpalatable, or otherwise objectionable foreign substances, e.g. chemicals, microorganisms or diluents, before, during, or after processing or storage.	Food Adulteration,Adulteration, Food,Adulterations, Food,Contamination, Food,Contaminations, Food,Food Adulterations,Food Contaminations
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001628	Beverages	Liquids that are suitable for drinking. (From Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed)	Beverage
D013343	Styrenes	Derivatives and polymers of styrene. They are used in the manufacturing of synthetic rubber, plastics, and resins. Some of the polymers form the skeletal structures for ion exchange resin beads.