The Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations 1998

4.  The fatty food simulants referred to in the Table are—

(a)corn oil with standardised specifications;

(b)sunflower oil the characteristics of which are—

  • Iodine value (Wijs) = 120 to 145

  • Refractive index at 20°C = 1.474 to 1.476

  • Saponification number = 188 to 193

  • Relative density at 20°C = 0.918 to 0.925

  • Unsaponifiable matter = 0.5% to 1.5%; and

(c)a synthetic mixture of triglycerides the composition of which is as follows—

(i)fatty acid distribution

No. of C-atoms in fatty acid residue681012141618others
GLC area (%)∼16–98–1145–5212–158–108–12<=1

(ii)purity

Content of monoglycerides (enzymatically)<=0.2%
Content of diglycerides (enzymatically)<=2.0%
Unsaponifiable matter<=0.2%
Iodine value (Wijs) <=0.1%
Acid value<=0.1%
Water content (K. Fischer)<=0.1%
Melting point28 ± 2°C

(iii)typical absorption spectrum (thickness of layer: d = 1 cm; Reference: water at 35°C)

Wavelength (nm)290310330350370390430470510
Transmittance (%)∼2∼15∼37∼64∼80∼88∼95∼97∼98
  • At least 10% light transmittance at 310 nm