Hexane a solvent widely used in the food industry

Hexane is a solvent widely used in the food industry to extract a variety of products such as vegetable oils, fats, flavors, fragrances, color additives or other bioactive ingredients. As it is classified as a "processing aid" it does not have to be declared on the label under current legislation. Therefore, although trace amounts of hexane may be found in final products, especially processed products, consumers are not aware of its presence. However, hexane, especially the n-hexane isomer, has been shown to be neurotoxic to humans and has even been listed as a cause of occupational disease in some European countries since the 1970s. In order to support the European strategy for a toxic-free environment (and toxic-free food), it seems important to collect scientific information on this substance by reviewing the existing literature. This review contains valuable information on the nature and sources of the solvent hexane, its applications in the food industry, its toxicological evaluation and possible alternatives for natural product extraction. Many publications hexane sds have studied the toxicity of hexane, and some studies have shown the presence of its toxic metabolite 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD) in the urine of general non-occupational exposed populations. Surprisingly, a Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) has apparently never been established by any food safety agency. Since hexane residues are undoubtedly present in a variety of food products, a clear assessment of the risks associated with this hidden exposure is necessary. Clear instructions on food packaging and better information about the toxicity of hexane could encourage the industry to move to one of the many other alternative extraction methods that have been developed.

Global consumer behavior has changed in recent years [1] , reflecting growing concerns about health and sustainability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The same trend is evident in recent policies, notably the European Green Deal adopted by the European Union (EU) in 2020, which aims to achieve climate neutrality, a circular economy and a toxic-free environment. One of the keys to achieving these ambitious goals is a chemical sustainability strategy based on the new Safe and Sustainable Design (SSbD) standard, which aims to ensure that chemicals, materials and products are designed, manufactured and used to do no harm to people and the environment [2]. These current priorities are closely related to the research activities carried out over many years by the Department of Chemistry at the University of Turin in Italy and the GREEN team at the University of Avignon in France. One of their joint areas of research is the use of safe alternative solvents to produce biomass extracts instead of potentially hazardous petrochemicals