Food Additive, Acrylonitrile, Banned in Beverage Containers

Acrylonitrile is a volatile, clear liquid, which can be formed into more complex compounds known as polymers that are used to make various plastic articles. Beverage bottles made of acrylonitrile copolymers are lightweight, do not cause injury if broken, and are, therefore, desirable to consumers. A characteristic of such bottles, however, is that after polymerization, a small amount of residual acrylonitrile that has not combined with other monomers remains in the plastic and may become part of the substance in the bottle. Some acrylonitrile copolymers also depolymerize to some extent, allowing additional acrylonitrile to migrate to the food.