The sky is indeed falling...

[wall2005]

We all have read the assertion by the FDA that the Carts they tested had trace amounts of ethylene glycol.

Are E cigarettes falsely being accused of using adulterated materials? Probably not. Anyone who uses USP glycol may well be introducing small amounts into their products. Apparently USP recognizes trace ethylene glycol adulteration is a problem with current Propylene Glycol standards and has modified the testing.

Could this mean the dreaded "poisonous antifreeze" is in massive amounts of consumer products? Probably so...

The sky is indeed falling

USP Revises Five High-Priority Pharmaceutical Excipient Monographs: Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol Solution, Sorbitol Sorbitan Solution, Noncrystallizing Sorbitol Solution, and Maltitol Solution

Updated: April 30, 2010

Based on a request from of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February, 2009, USP has revised and strengthened its monographs for five pharmaceutical excipients used in drug formulations-Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol Solution, Sorbitol Sorbitan Solution, Noncrystallizing Sorbitol Solution, and Maltitol Solution. These efforts are to assist in preventing future diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) adulteration.

The proposed revisions to the above-named monographs include limits for DEG and EG, each at a level of not more than 0.10 percent in the Identification test. These revisions are consistent with the recent USP Glycerin monograph revision to help prevent future episodes of pharmaceutical adulterations with these poisonous chemicals.
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Hot Topics: USP Propylene Glycol and Sorbitol Solution Information

 

[banjo]

Thanks for the post! Good info.

 

[Vidi]

I'm sorry. Are you asserting that this is bad news for e cigs or good?

It seems to me, that if the USP is requiring that PG is made to a better quality standard from now on, then the e cigs become "safer"

 

[Southern Gent]

I'm sorry. Are you asserting that this is bad news for e cigs or good?

It seems to me, that if the USP is requiring that PG is made to a better quality standard from now on, then the e cigs become "safer"

My thoughts exactly. Sounds as if it removes a bullet from the arsenal and throws the "contamination" find at someone else.

 

[floridamale]

If the USP recognizes trace amounts of ethylene glycol adulteration as a problem with current Propylene Glycol standards and has modified the testing, 1000’s of products will be affected. I don't see this has having a negative outcome for e-vaping it should only make the liquid products better.

 

[wall2005]

It is good that they are working to increase purity. Although the amounts found in the PG and in the FDA test of NJoy carts is well below dangerous levels, the findings made everyone wonder what was in their juice???

I guess my point was, the trace contaminants they isolated were essentially allowed by the USP process. Why was the FDA surprised by trace elements they should have known were allowed in PG solutions?

Most anti vaping points-of-view talk about "antifreeze was found by the FDA" to show it is not safe. This article basically shows any product using PG is likely to have the same chemical adulteration. Do we like it in any of our consumables? No!! But E-juice is not any more contaminated than mom's cake icing.

 

[StormFinch]

It is good that they are working to increase purity. Although the amounts found in the PG and in the FDA test of NJoy carts is well below dangerous levels, the findings made everyone wonder what was in their juice???

I guess my point was, the trace contaminants they isolated were essentially allowed by the USP process. Why was the FDA surprised by trace elements they should have known were allowed in PG solutions?

Most anti vaping points-of-view talk about "antifreeze was found by the FDA" to show it is not safe. This article basically shows any product using PG is likely to have the same chemical adulteration. Do we like it in any of our consumables? No!! But E-juice is not any more contaminated than mom's cake icing.

Exactly what I was thinking. Basically put, if the e-cig manufacturer used USP PG. then the trace amount of diethylene glycol that the FDA found was the FDA's fault.

 

[DC2]

We all have read the assertion by the FDA that the Carts they tested had trace amounts of ethylene glycol.

To clarify, it was DEG (diethylene glycol) that was found in one of the 18 cartridges that the FDA tested.
It was not found in the other 17 cartridges tested, nor was it found in the vapor.

Are E cigarettes falsely being accused of using adulterated materials?

Well, yes and no.

Updated: April 30, 2010

Based on a request from of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February, 2009, USP has revised and strengthened its monographs for five pharmaceutical excipients used in drug formulations-Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol Solution, Sorbitol Sorbitan Solution, Noncrystallizing Sorbitol Solution, and Maltitol Solution. These efforts are to assist in preventing future diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) adulteration.

The proposed revisions to the above-named monographs include limits for DEG and EG, each at a level of not more than 0.10 percent in the Identification test. These revisions are consistent with the recent USP Glycerin monograph revision to help prevent future episodes of pharmaceutical adulterations with these poisonous chemicals.

I'm pretty sure the current limit is 0.01 percent, and that limit has been in place for quite some time.
This is not a new development.

The fact that 0.10 percent was found in that one cartridge is a cause for concern.
But you would have to consume thousands of cartridges in one day to get a toxic level of DEG from that percentage.