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Food simulants and migration testing conditions

Simulants

To avoid possible argument about what kind of food should be chosen to perform migration testing, EU legislators have agreed on 4 food simulants, which are able to mimic foods:

Choice of simulants

Not all five simulants need to be included in testing. Directive 85/572/EEC defines which simulants need to be used to simulate certain foods. Alternatives for olive oil may be used if needed (like sunflower oil). In some cases it is not possible to use olive oil as food simulant because of technical reasons and alternative simulants may be used like isooctane and 95% ethanol.

Reference number  Description of foodstuffs  Simulants to be used
   A  B  C  D
1  Beverages        
1,01  Non-alcoholic beverages or alcoholic beverages of an alcoholic strength lower than 5 % vol. :        
   Waters , ciders , fruit or vegetable juices of normal strength or concentrated , musts , fruit nectars , lemonades and mineral waters , syrups , bitters , infusions , coffee , tea , liquid chocolate , beers and other  X (a)  X (a)    
1,02  Alcoholic beverages of an alcoholic strength equal to or exceeding 5 % vol. :        
   Beverages shown under heading 01.01 but with an alcoholic strength equal to or exceeding 5 % vol. :        
 Wines , spirits and liqueurs    X (1)  X (2)  
1,03  Miscellaneous : undenatured ethyl aclcohol    X (1)  X (2)  
2  Cereals , cereal products , pastry , biscuits , cakes and other bakers' wares        
2,01  Starches        
2,02  Cereals , unprocessed , puffed , in flakes , ( including popcorn , corn flakes and the like )        
2,03  Cereal flour and meal        
2,04  Macaroni , spaghetti and similar products        
2,05  Pastry , biscuits , cakes and , other bakers' wares , dry :        
 A . With fatty substances on the surface        X/5
 B . Other        
2,06  Pastry , cakes and other bakers' wares , fresh :        
 A . With fatty substances on the surface        X/5
 B . Other  X      
3  Chocolate , sugar and products thereof Confectionery products        
3,01  Chocolate , chocolate-coated products , substitutes and products coated with substitutes        X/5
3,02  Confectionery products :        
 A . In solid form :        
 I . With fatty substances on the surface        X/5
 II . Other        
 B . In paste form :        
 I . With fatty substances on the surface        X/3
 II . Moist  X      
3,03  Sugar and sugar products :        
 A . In solid form        
 B . Honey and the like  X      
 C . Molasses and sugar syrups  X      
4  Fruit , vegetables and products thereof        
4,01  Whole fruit , fresh or chilled        
4,02  Processed fruit :        
   A . Dried or dehydrated fruit , whole or in the form of flour or powder        
 B . Fruit in the form of chunks , purée or paste  X (a)  X (a)    
   C . Fruit preserves ( jams and similar products - whole fruit or chunks or in the form of flour or powder , preserved in a liquid medium ) :        
 I . In an aqueous medium  X (a)  X (a)    
 II . In an oily medium  X (a)  X (a)    X
 III . In an alcoholic medium (  5 % vol. )    X (3)  X
4,03  Nuts ( peanuts , chestnuts , almonds , hazelnuts , walnuts , pine kernels and other ) :        
 A . Shelled , dried        
 B . Shelled and roasted        X/5 (4)
 C . In paste or cream form X      X/3 (4)  
4,04  Whole vegetables , fresh or chilled        
4,05  Processed vegetables :        
   A . Dried or dehydrated vegetables whole or in the form of flour or powder        
 B . Vegetables , cut , in the form of purées  X (a)  X (a)    
 C . Preserved vegetables :        
 I . In an aqueous medium  X (a)  X (a)    
 II . In an oily medium  X (a)  X (a)    X
 III . In an alcoholic medium (  5 % vol. )    X (3)  X
5  Fats and oils        
5,01  Animals and vegetable fats and oils , whether natural or treated ( including cocoa butter , lard , resolidified butter )        X
5,02  Margarine , butter and other fats and oils made from water emulsions in oil        X/2
6  Animal products and eggs        
6,01  Fish :        
 A . Fresh , chilled , salted , smoked  X      X/3 (5)
 B . In the form of paste  X      X/3 (5)
6,02  Crustaceans and molluscs ( including oysters , mussels , snails ) not naturally protected by their shells  X      
6,03  Meat of all zoological species ( including poultry and game ) :        
 A . Fresh , chilled , salted , smoked  X      X/4
 B . In the form of paste , creams  X      X/4
6,04  Processed meat products ( ham , salami , bacon and other )  X