Is Acrylonitrile safe in food and drink?

Ingested acrylonitrile is classified as carcinogenic to humans (IARC Group 1) based on sufficient evidence from human and animal studies.

Why here

Acrylonitrile, a monomer used in plastics, can migrate from food contact materials into food and beverages, leading to oral exposure.

What would have to be true

Ingestion of food or beverages contaminated with acrylonitrile migrating from plastic packaging.

The use of acrylonitrile in food contact materials is restricted by regulatory bodies, such as the FDA and EU, due to its potential to migrate into food, with specific migration limits established to minimize exposure.

Why here

Acrylonitrile monomer can leach from polymers used in food packaging into food, necessitating regulatory limits to ensure consumer safety.

What would have to be true

Ingestion of food or beverages from containers made with acrylonitrile copolymers where migration exceeds regulatory limits, such as the EU's Specific Migration Limit (SML) of ≤ 10 µg/kg of food or FDA's limits (e.g., 0.003 mg/square inch or 0.3 ppm for single-use articles).

Ingestion of acrylonitrile can cause irritation of the mouth, throat, and gastrointestinal tract, leading to abdominal pain and vomiting, and can result in systemic toxicity including central nervous system depression and symptoms similar to cyanide poisoning.

Why here

Acrylonitrile is readily absorbed upon ingestion and is metabolized in the body, partly yielding cyanide, which contributes to systemic toxicity.

What would have to be true

Acute ingestion of acrylonitrile, with an oral LD50 in laboratory mammals ranging from 25 mg/kg to 186 mg/kg body weight.

Acrylonitrile is classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and is considered a probable or reasonably anticipated human carcinogen by other major regulatory bodies.

Why here

Acrylonitrile monomer can migrate from plastic food contact materials, such as those made from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) or styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymers, into food, with migration potentially increasing under heated conditions.

What would have to be true

Ingestion of food that has been in contact with acrylonitrile-containing plastics, particularly when heated. Regulatory limits are in place, such as the EU's specific migration limit (SML) of ≤ 10 µg/kg of food. The U.S. FDA estimated exposure from certain uses to be very low, e.g., 0.29 ng/p/d.

The use of acrylonitrile copolymers in food contact materials is restricted by regulatory bodies like the U.S. FDA and the European Union, with specific limitations on the migration of acrylonitrile monomer into food.

Why here

To minimize potential dietary exposure to acrylonitrile, which is classified as a carcinogen, from food packaging and articles, especially under conditions of use that may involve heat.

What would have to be true

Migration limits are established for food contact articles. For example, the U.S. FDA sets limitations for acrylonitrile monomer extraction for finished food-contact articles, such as 0.003 milligram/square inch when extracted to equilibrium at 120 °F (approximately 49 °C) with food-simulating solvents for repeated-use articles. The EU sets a specific migration limit (SML) of ≤ 10 µg/kg of food for acrylonitrile.

Inhalation of acrylonitrile in indoor air is classified as carcinogenic to humans, based on sufficient evidence for lung cancer in humans and various cancers in experimental animals.

Why here

Acrylonitrile is a volatile organic compound that can be released into indoor air from sources such as tobacco smoke and consumer products, leading to inhalation exposure for the general population.

What would have to be true

Indoor air concentrations in residences of smokers have been estimated at 0.5 to 1.2 μg/m3, and in some residential buildings, concentrations ranged from 2.7 to 4.8 μg/m3.

Inhalation of acrylonitrile vapor in indoor air can cause irritation to the nose, throat, and respiratory tract, and lead to central nervous system effects such as headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, and impaired judgment, partly due to its metabolism releasing cyanide.

Why here

Acrylonitrile is a volatile liquid that readily forms vapor at room temperature, which can be inhaled in indoor environments. Once absorbed, it can be metabolized to cyanide, contributing to systemic toxicity.

What would have to be true

Symptoms like nose and throat irritation, headache, nausea, and dizziness can occur from breathing contaminated air. Occupational studies indicate mild ocular irritation at 5 ppm and more severe effects (headache, fatigue, nausea, insomnia) at 5-20 ppm. CNS symptoms have been caused by exposure to airborne concentrations as low as 16 ppm for 30 minutes.