Cyclic siloxanes in food simulant D2

Cyclic siloxanes which migrate into food from silicone-based food contact material. Three of the cyclic siloxanes (D4, D5 and D6) are considered as substances of very high concern since 2018, due to their characteristics as PBT and vPvB substances, and amended to annex XVII to regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH) in May 2024. Therefore, the methods to quantify these substances are gaining even more importance. No limit values are set for the migration of siloxanes in food up to now. The National Food Institute of the Technical University of Denmark proposed action limits for siloxanes in food of 12 mg/kg food for the sum of cyclic siloxanes D3-D8 for adults and 2 mg/kg food for children and 60 mg/kg food for the sum of cyclic and linear siloxanes D3-D8 and L3-L13 in 2006.

P2535-RT is focussed on the most relevant cyclic siloxanes. The cyclic siloxanes as mentioned below are spiked to sunflower oil as food simulant D2. Spiked concentrations are in the range of typical migration levels (low ng/kg).

The analytical data are assessed with respect to

• the comparability (z-score), and
• the trueness (70 to 120% of the spiked level).