ETHYLENEDIAMINE
Ethylenediamine is a small organic diamine compound identified by CAS 107-15-3. It is used in industrial and chemical applications and appears in food contact substance regulations because it may serve as a tracer or processing aid without direct nutritional function.
What It Is
Ethylenediamine is an organic compound composed of a two-carbon chain with an amino group attached to each carbon. The structure is commonly described as a linear aliphatic diamine with the formula H2NCH2CH2NH2, and it is recognized in chemical literature under the CAS number 107-15-3. This compound is relevant in chemistry because of its ability to donate electron pairs from its amine groups, making it a useful ligand in coordination chemistry. Ethylenediamine is legally referenced in food contact substance regulations, such as those listed in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, where it may be permitted in specific non‑nutritional roles during food processing or packaging. The technical function of ethylenediamine in this context is identified as a tracer, meaning that it can be used to track or measure process flows or material transfer rather than contribute to taste, texture, or nutritional value of foods. While ethylenediamine itself is not intended to be a consumable nutrient or flavor component, its regulated inclusion in indirect food contact processes warrants examination under food safety frameworks.
How It Is Made
The industrial production of ethylenediamine begins with simple feedstocks such as ethanolamine or dichloroethane, which react with ammonia in the presence of catalysts under controlled conditions to form the diamine structure. This process typically involves high temperatures and pressures to maximize yield and purity of the product. Following synthesis, ethylenediamine is subjected to purification steps that may include distillation or solvent extraction to remove unreacted precursors and by‑products. Purity is critical when the compound is used in regulated contexts because impurities may have different chemical or toxicological profiles. Ethylenediamine produced for industrial use is often characterized using analytical techniques like gas chromatography or spectroscopy to confirm identity and purity. In food‑related applications, reference standards of ethylenediamine may be manufactured to meet analytical method requirements, enabling accurate detection and quantification of the compound when employed as a tracer in processing environments. Operational safety considerations are fundamental during manufacture because ethylenediamine is corrosive and can pose health risks if inhaled or contacted directly. Facilities producing this compound must follow occupational health regulations and implement appropriate controls to protect workers. Storage and transport are managed to avoid exposure to air and moisture since ethylenediamine can absorb water and react with atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Why It Is Used In Food
Ethylenediamine’s inclusion in food regulatory references stems from its use in indirect applications rather than as a direct additive for flavor or nutrition. When a chemical is designated as a tracer, manufacturers or regulatory scientists use it to monitor and measure aspects of a food processing system, such as tracking the movement of liquids through equipment or verifying that cleaning processes have effectively removed residues. In these contexts, ethylenediamine helps ensure that food contact surfaces and materials meet safety criteria without intentionally altering the food itself. Because the food supply chain involves complex systems of heating, transfer lines, and packaging materials, having reliable tracers allows quality assurance teams to validate sanitation and process control measures. For example, a tracer like ethylenediamine might be introduced in a controlled way to determine if a rinse cycle adequately contacts all surfaces. The compound’s chemical behavior—particularly its solubility and reactivity—makes it detectable with laboratory methods, enabling precise analysis of systems where food contact materials are processed. Its regulated status in sections of the U.S. federal food contact substance regulations (such as those denoted by the provided CFR citations) reflects careful review of where such usage is permissible and under what conditions.
Adi Example Calculation
Because there is no established acceptable daily intake for ethylenediamine in food additive databases, an illustrative calculation of ADI does not apply. In regulatory systems where an ADI is assigned, the calculation often uses toxicological data to define a safe exposure threshold. Without an assigned ADI value for ethylenediamine, no specific numeric example can be demonstrated here. This reflects that ethylenediamine’s regulatory status is not based on consumer intake but rather on controlled indirect applications that minimize or eliminate residue in the final food product.
Safety And Health Research
Safety assessments of ethylenediamine concentrate on its potential for exposure during industrial handling and indirect contact, rather than direct ingestion through food. The compound’s chemical profile indicates that it can be corrosive and cause irritation upon contact with skin or mucous membranes. Industrial safety data describe potential toxicity upon inhalation or skin contact, which underscores the need for protective measures in occupational settings. These safety considerations are integral to regulatory guidance on acceptable uses and limits when ethylenediamine is employed in food contact processes. While comprehensive toxicological profiles exist in material safety data sheets for industrial chemicals, there is limited public evidence documenting ethylenediamine’s effects at trace levels that might occur from indirect exposure in food processing environments. Therefore, regulatory bodies rely on hazard assessments and exposure scenarios to determine permissible conditions for its use rather than establishing nutritional or direct consumption safety thresholds.
Regulatory Status Worldwide
Regulatory frameworks in major jurisdictions treat ethylenediamine primarily in the context of indirect food contact or processing situations. In the United States, ethylenediamine is listed in the FDA’s inventory of substances permitted in food contact materials under various sections of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. These include sections referenced in the provided regulation codes, which govern indirect additives for adhesives, coatings, and other non‑food components that may contact food. The presence of ethylenediamine in these lists indicates that the compound may be used under specified conditions without direct inclusion in food intended for consumption. However, this regulatory status focuses on its application as a processing aid or tracer rather than as a flavoring or nutritional additive. At the international level, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) maintains databases and specifications for food additives and flavouring agents. Although a searchable database exists for food additives under JECFA’s purview, it is not evident from available sources that ethylenediamine itself has an established International Numbering System (INS) number or that it has been evaluated for a specific acceptable daily intake. Consequently, regulatory recognition in other jurisdictions may be limited to contexts similar to those recognized by the U.S. FDA—namely, indirect applications where the compound does not remain in food at significant levels. The absence of an assigned INS number and ADI in public JECFA listings suggests that ethylenediamine’s regulated use internationally is focused on analytical or processing roles rather than intentional use as a direct ingredient.
Taste And Functional Properties
Ethylenediamine is not used to impart flavor, texture, or other sensory attributes in food products. It has an ammonia‑like odor typical of many small amines, but this characteristic does not confer desirable taste or aroma when applied in contexts related to food contact. In terms of functional chemistry, ethylenediamine’s solubility in water and miscibility with polar solvents make it suitable for analytical applications or tracking studies. Its functional behavior in solution is influenced by the presence of the two amine groups, which engage in hydrogen bonding and other interactions with polar matrices. From a process perspective, ethylenediamine’s stability across a range of temperatures and its predictable reactivity with certain analytical reagents enable robust detection. However, its direct sensory implications are negligible when it is used strictly as a tracer or processing aid that is not intended to reach the consumer’s plate. Indeed, sensory evaluations are not part of the rationale for its regulatory acceptance; instead, its performance as a measurable indicator of process compliance informs industry use. Because it is not intended for flavor or texture modification, ethylenediamine does not undergo sensory characterization like compounds that are added for taste enhancement or texture stabilization.
Acceptable Daily Intake Explained
Acceptable daily intake (ADI) is a metric used by regulatory bodies to indicate the estimated amount of a substance that a person could theoretically ingest daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk. For ethylenediamine, there is no established ADI published in major food additive evaluations, which reflects its role as an indirect processing tracer rather than a direct ingredient. Because ethylenediamine is not intended to be present in consumer food products at measurable levels, and because its regulatory presence is tied to specific food contact materials or analytical contexts, setting an ADI has not been a priority in regulatory assessments. Consumers generally would not ingest ethylenediamine in normal food scenarios, and regulatory frameworks focus on limiting potential exposure through migration limits or usage conditions rather than daily intake calculations.
Comparison With Similar Additives
When comparing ethylenediamine with other compounds referenced in food contact substance regulations, it is useful to differentiate compounds that serve as indirect processing aids from those that are direct additives. For instance, certain chelating agents used in processing may remain in final food products at low levels and thus are evaluated for acceptable daily intake and labeled with INS numbers. Ethylenediamine, by contrast, is primarily used for analytical or tracer applications, and its functional role does not overlap with additives designed to affect food texture, preservation, or flavor. This distinction highlights how regulatory frameworks treat substances based on intended use and exposure potential rather than lumping all listed chemicals into a single category. Comparing ethylenediamine with commonly studied food additives underscores the difference between compounds intentionally added for technological effects and those permitted only for controlled indirect roles.
Common Food Applications Narrative
In the broader context of food production and safety management, ethylenediamine appears in indirect roles that support quality assurance rather than consumer experience. For instance, when food processors validate sanitation systems, they may employ chemical tracers to confirm that cleaning fluids traverse all sections of a piece of equipment. Ethylenediamine’s chemical properties make it amenable to laboratory detection, which is crucial when verifying the thoroughness of cleaning protocols. Such use supports compliance with food safety standards but does not translate into ethylenediamine remaining in the final food product that a consumer purchases. Beyond equipment cleaning validation, ethylenediamine can be involved in analytical testing workflows, where trace amounts of process substances must be identified to ensure that food contact materials meet regulatory requirements. Because the food supply chain uses a variety of machinery, from heat exchangers to packaging lines, having reliable tracers helps food safety teams document that processes operate effectively and are free of residual contaminants. While these applications are not directly visible to consumers, they play a role in the behind‑the‑scenes infrastructure that supports safe food production. Ethylenediamine’s regulated status under specified sections of the Code of Federal Regulations reflects an understanding that, when used appropriately under defined conditions, it contributes to the integrity of monitoring and control systems without serving as an intentional ingredient in consumer products.
Safety & Regulations
FDA
- Notes: Specific FDA approval sections are referenced by CFR citations but no direct review document was found in sources to confirm full approval conditions.
EFSA
- Notes: No evidence found linking ethylenediamine to an EFSA e number or established ADI.
JECFA
- Notes: Search of JECFA databases did not return a specific additive entry for ethylenediamine.
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