Determination of low levels of aziridine in official EU food simulants by capillary gas chromatography

An analytical method for the determination of the specific migration of aziridine (ethyleneimine) into food simulants at trace levels is described. The method comprises a two-phase (aqueous-organic solvent) derivatization procedure with 4-fluorobenzoyl chloride, using propyleneimine as an internal standard. The derivatization reaction is accomplished very quickly and the organic layer containing the derivatized imine is analysed by capillary gas chromatography using selective nitrogen detection (nitrogen-phosphorous detector). The detection limits of the method were lower than 5 myg/kg in the food simulant.