Petroleum wax is used not only for industrial purposes, but also as a food additive and as a packaging material in direct contact with food. Therefore, a high level of hygiene is required.
As a result of the safety evaluation of petroleum wax by the American Petroleum Institute, it was confirmed that if the ultraviolet absorbance of a specific wavelength is below a certain value, petroleum wax does not pose a problem in terms of carcinogenicity and general toxicity.
Based on the results of this study, the FDA established a method for measuring ultraviolet absorbance and an upper limit, and approved petroleum waxes that do not exceed this limit for use as food additives to guarantee safety.
【FDA§172.886】
| Maximum ultraviolet absorbance per centimeter path length | |
|---|---|
| 280～289 nm | 0.15 |
| 290～299 nm | 0.12 |
| 300～359 nm | 0.08 |
| 360～400 nm | 0.02 |