The Mineral Hydrocarbons in Food Regulations 1966

Specification for solid mineral hydrocarbon other than any solid mineral hydrocarbon used or intended for use in chewing compounds

3.  Solid mineral hydrocarbon other than any solid mineral hydrocarbon used or intended for use in any chewing compound—

(a) shall be an almost odourless and tasteless mixture of solid mineral hydrocarbons;

(b) shall contain not more than 0.1 per cent. by weight of sulphated ash;

(c) shall comply with the test for acidity or alkalinity given in the monograph for Liquid Paraffin in the British Pharmacopoeia 1963;

(d) shall comply with the test for sulphur compounds given in the monograph referred to in the preceding sub-paragraph of this Schedule:

Provided that such test shall be carried out at 70°C., or at 5°C. above the congealing point, of the solid mineral hydrocarbon, whichever is the higher;

(e) shall comply with the requirements specified in one of the following sub-paragraphs, namely—

(i) shall have been tested, before being used in the composition or preparation of any food, for the presence of polycyclic hydrocarbon by the method described in Part II of this Schedule with the result described in paragraph 6 of the said Part II, and if such solid mineral hydrocarbon is tested subsequently by the said method, shall give the said result; or

(ii) have a viscosity at 99°C. not greater than 7.0 centistokes and an ultra-violet extinction (otherwise called absorbance) at 290 millimicrons not greater than 0.04 for a 1 centimetre layer of a solution in iso-octane containing 1 gram per litre, that is to say,

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where E=log₁₀ (Io/I) and Io and I are the intensities of the incident radiation and of the transmitted radiation respectively; or

(iii) have a viscosity at 99°C. not less than 10.0 centistokes and an ultra-violet extinction (otherwise called absorbance) at 290 millimicrons not greater than 1.0 for a 1 centimetre layer of a solution in iso-octane containing 1 gram per litre, that is to say,

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where E=log₁₀ (Io/I) and Io and I are the intensities of the incident radiation and of the transmitted radiation respectively.