Taste threshold levels for styrene monomer in foods

2 Taste threshold levels for styrene monomer in foods 

The residual styrene monomer remaining in the finished material can cause taints by transferring to the packed product in amounts that exceed the taste threshold concentration level in that particular food. Each food matrix has a characteristic styrene concentration (threshold concentration) above which the styrene taint becomes evident (Chapter 13). A series of sensory taste threshold concentrations taken from the literature for different foods are shown in Table 14-2. 

Ethylbenzene is commonly used as a solvent diluent during the polystyrene polymerization process. It can be found in the finished material and can be a source of taints as well. As seen in Table 14-2 the sensory taste threshold concentrations for ethylbenzene are 2 to 3 times higher than those for styrene. 

Other volatile compounds found in polystyrene containing packages but of less sensory significance can be 2-methyl-2-propen-l-ol, [3-methylstyrene, trimethyl- and tet-ramethylbenzenes. 

In general, the higher the fat content of the product the higher the taste threshold concentration (Chapters 4, 9, 13). vom Bruck and Hammerschmidt (1977) developed an equation that relates the fat content of the food product to the taste threshold concentration  

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