Emission of ethylene oxide during frying of foods in soybean oil

High levels of ethylene oxide (EO) and acetaldehyde (AE) were detected, using gas chromatography and a portable gas detector, among volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted during simulated frying of herbs and spices in soybean oil at temperatures between 120 °C and 200 °C. Both EO and AE were distributed between the gas phase and oil phase after cooking each vegetable at 150 °C for 5 min under either nitrogen or air at 1 atm. EO concentrations in the gas phase (25–75 ppm) exceeded the threshold limit value of 1 ppm, the TLV TWA value established by the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists and permitted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. EO has been identified as a significant carcinogen. Thus, while no causal relationship can be concluded from this study, the results suggest a possible relationship between the high levels of EO emitted during frying and the high incidence of lung cancer among Taiwanese women engaged in traditional cooking.