Day 010 - 11 Jul 94 - Page 33
1 renewed interest in monomer migration. There have been
six world symposiums on the topic. The latest was held in
2 1990 in London, England. Over the years it appears that
physical chemists have shown considerable interest in
3 migration".
4 We skip ahead to the next paragraph. We note the last
sentence: "In packaged foods with the addition of heat
5 (such as microwave temperatures) vitamin A will decompose
and produce m-xylene, toluene, and
6 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene. Toluene will aggressively
dissolve polystyrene and render polystyrene as an
7 unsuitable package for containing or microwaving products
that contain vitamin A."
8
Q. What products contain vitamin A for example? Would that
9 include for example lemon?
A. Lemon, I would say -- I am not a nutritionist;
10 I cannot answer that question.
11 Q. Are there any other bits you want to refer us to? The
next paragraph?
12 A. No, I would skip to the first paragraph on the next
page.
13
MR. JUSTICE BELL: Just pause a minute.
14
MR. MORRIS: I do not know if you want to quote the next two
15 paragraphs but they seem to talk about the taste can be
detected of styrene?
16 A. Yes. I will not then. But they essentially say you
can actually taste styrene in a food container, in the
17 food product that is contained in a styrofoam food
container; this has actually been acknowledged by the
18 plastics packaging, by at least one plastics packaging
trade group; and I will refer to that document in more
19 detail. But essentially if we move to ----
20 Q. Are there any other bits you want to refer us to then in
this document because I just noticed ----
21
MR. JUSTICE BELL: Is there any one of these papers in the
22 bibliography there which actually says styrene from
polystyrene foam cups?
23 A. From food packaging?
24 Q. Does actually migrate into the drink or food?
A. That is what I would refer you to, page 5, the second
25 to last paragraph: "Though migration of styrene monomer
into foods has been shown to occur", then it refers to
26 four particular studies. I will read their titles:
K. Figge, "Migration of Additives from Plastic Films into
27 Edible Oils and Fat Stimulants; Garcia Melian -- I will
not read their names -- "Total Migration From Plastic
28 Yoghurt Pots" which is a Spanish document; Joseph Miltz,
which was an earlier -- number 19 on page 13 of the
29 references: "Migration of Low Molecular Weight Species
from Packaging Materials: Theoretical and Practical
30 Considerations"; and number 31 "Migration of Packaging
Components to Food: Regulatory Considerations".
