Recent news that various well-known pastries contain excessive amounts of propylene glycol has been widely reported. Hot discussion, and then there are many people who don’t know whether propylene glycol or propylene glycol is harmful to the human body? Let’s take a look at the supplier of propylene glycol.
Propylene glycol is usually a slightly sweet, odorless, colorless and transparent oily liquid that absorbs moisture and is easily mixed with water, acetone, and chloroform. Propylene glycol has good viscosity and hygroscopicity, less viscosity, toxicity and irritation than glycerin, and good solubility. Therefore, it is widely used as hygroscopic agent, antifreeze, lubricant and solvent in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. In the application of food-grade propylene glycol, in flavors, fragrances, and baked pastries, propylene glycol is an extremely excellent raw material and has an irreplaceable position in the production of many products.
Is propylene glycol harmful to the human body?
Regarding the toxicity of propylene glycol, most reports currently mention the damage to the kidneys of animals. If the dose data from animal toxicology experiments are extrapolated to a 100-fold safety factor for the human body, an adult weighing 60 kilograms would have to consume 12 grams of propylene glycol per day to cause poisoning. Based on this calculation, you need to eat 4 kilograms of cake with qualified propylene glycol content every day. “He stressed, “Although it is low-toxic, there is no need to talk about the discoloration of propylene glycol, but food manufacturers must also comply with relevant national standards for use.
The Joint Expert Group on Food Additives (JECFA) has established safety standards for propylene glycol: the daily intake should not exceed 25 mg per kilogram of body weight. Calculated based on a body weight of 60 kilograms, the equivalent daily intake is no more than 1.5 grams, and there is no problem if you eat it every day. Therefore, for pastries that meet national standards (the dosage does not exceed 3 grams/kg), eating one pound per day can keep the propylene glycol intake within a safe range.
Yun Wuxin, a popular science writer and Ph.D. in food engineering, pointed out in an article that after a person eats propylene glycol, about 45% will be excreted intact through the kidneys, and the rest will be metabolized into lactic acid in the body. If you consume too much, the lactic acid produced cannot be excreted in time and will accumulate in the blood and kidneys, leading to poisoning. Poisoning mainly affects the nervous system, such as slowed breathing, decreased heart rate, and loss of consciousness. However, for people with normal liver and kidney functions, propylene glycol is metabolized and excreted very quickly, and this level of poisoning rarely occurs. However, if there is liver or kidney dysfunction, the metabolism and excretion pathways of propylene glycol may be blocked, which may cause the accumulation of propylene glycol or lactic acid, leading to symptoms of poisoning. He also said that a small number of people may be allergic to propylene glycol and should also be wary of propylene glycol.
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