A preliminary survey : Quality of plastic melamine kitchenware

Abstract

This research is the preliminary survey of melamine kitchenware quality in Thailand. The sampling and testing of melamine-ware was carried out from January 2013 to March 2014 in areas of Chiang Rai, Nong Khai, Mukdahan, Nakhonratchasima, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Songkhla and Bangkok. The total of 71 samples was analyzed and the producing countries consisted of Thailand, China, Vietnam and unknown as following 20, 36, 2 and 13 samples, respectively. The plastic types were determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and the results were 21 samples of melamine-formaldehyde, 8 samples of urea - formaldehyde and 42 samples of urea - formaldehyde coated with melamine - formaldehyde. The qualities of plastic melamine kitchenware were specified by testing the formaldehyde and melamine release. The formaldehyde and melamine release were measured using UV-visible spectroscopy method: DD CEN/TS 13130-23: 2005 and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method: DD CEN/TS 13130-27 : 2005, respectively. The samples were exposed to food simulant 3% (w/v) aqueous acetic acid, repeat three times under condition temperature 70°C, 2 hours. The results of third exposure were formaldehyde and melamine. European Union issued EU Regulation No. 10/2011 specified limits for migration of formaldehyde and melamine as 15.0 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively. The results found that the 62 percentages of the melamine - formaldehyde did not meet EU regulation limit. The amount of formaldehyde was found in the range of 16.0-797.5 mg/kg and 3.0-455.8 mg/kg for melamine. All of urea-formaldehyde did not meet EU regulation limit in the range of 22.2-12,193.8 mg/kg for formaldehyde and 3.1-16.6 mg/kg for melamine. The 88 percentages of urea - formaldehyde coated with melamine - formaldehyde did not meet EU regulation limit in the range 15.2 to 5247.6 mg/ kg for formaldehyde and 2.7-26.9 mg/kg for melamine. The results of this study indicated that almost of plastic melamine kitchenware in the country not meet the standards in formaldehyde and melamine substances. Therefore, using the plastic melamine kitchenware for food contact materials should be caution for use.