Assessment of the dietary intake of propylene glycol in the Korean population

• Published in: Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment, 2016-08, Vol.33 (8), p.1290-1298
• Main Authors: Lim, Ho Soo, Hwang, Ju Young, Choi, EunA, Lee, Gun Young, Yun, Sang Soon, Kang, TaeSeok
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Child, Preschool; consumption; Diet; Diet Surveys; Female; Food Contamination - analysis; Food processing industry; Food safety; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Infant; intake; KNHANES; Male; Middle Aged; Propylene glycol; Propylene Glycol - analysis; Republic of Korea; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1944-0049; 1944-0057
• DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2016.1209576

An improved method for the analysis of propylene glycol (PG) in foods using a gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector (GC-FID), with confirmation by GC-MS, was validated by measuring several analytical parameters. The PG concentrations in 1073 products available in Korean markets were determined. PG was detected in 74.1% of the samples, in a concentration range from the limit of detection (n.d., 0.39 μg ml −1 ) to 12,819.9 mg kg −1 . The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2011-2013 reported the mean intake levels of PG from all sources by the general population and consumers were 26.3 mg day −1 (0.52 mg kg −1 day −1 ) and 34.3 mg day −1 (0.67 mg kg −1 day −1 ), respectively. The 95th percentile intake levels of the general population and consumers were 123.6 mg day −1 (2.39 mg kg −1 day −1 ) and 146.3 mg day −1 (2.86 mg kg −1 day −1 ), respectively. In all groups of the general population, breads were the main contributors to the total PG intake. These reports provide a current perspective on the daily intake of PG in the Korean population.