Safety Boundary of Silicone Oil in the Food Industry
The safe application of food grade silicone oil has always been a concern, from the defoamer of McDonald's McNuggets to the release agent of baby bottles. According to FDA standards, the migration amount of silicone oil used in food contact should not exceed 10mg/kg. According to the detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technology, under the high-temperature sterilization condition of 121 ℃, the migration amount of Dow Corning food grade silicone oil is only 2.3mg/kg, far below the safety limit.
Further research reveals that silicone oil undergoes controlled hydrolysis in a gastric acid environment (pH 1.2), producing orthosilicate and low molecular weight siloxanes. Animal experiments have shown that continuous intake of silicone oil containing foods (dose 50mg/kg/d) for 90 days did not result in significant changes in liver and kidney function indicators in rats. This biocompatibility makes silicone oil the only lubricant category approved by the European Union for use in contact materials with infant and toddler food.