US EPA

7323266 

Journal Article 

Release of Melamine and Formaldehyde from Melamine-Formaldehyde Plastic Kitchenware 

Ebner, I; Haberer, S; Sander, S; Kappenstein, O; Luch, A; Bruhn, T 

2020 

1 

Molecules
ISSN: 1420-3049 

25 

16 

English 

32784987 

10.3390/molecules25163629 

WOS:000577866000001 

The release of melamine and formaldehyde from kitchenware made of melamine resins is still a matter of great concern. To investigate the migration and release behavior of the monomers from melamine-based food contact materials into food simulants and food stuffs, cooking spoons were tested under so-called hot plate conditions at 100 °C. Release conditions using the real hot plate conditions with 3% acetic acid were compared with conditions in a conventional migration oven and with a release to deionized water. Furthermore, the kinetics of the release were studied using Arrhenius plots giving an activation energy for the release of melamine of 120 kJ/mol. Finally, a correlation between quality of the resins, specifically the kind of bridges between the monomers, and the release of melamine, was confirmed by CP/MAS 13C-NMR measurements of the melamine kitchenware. Obviously, the ratio of methylene bridges and dimethylene ether bridges connecting the melamine monomers during the curing process can be directly correlated with the amount of the monomers released into food.