Canning and Fish Packaging Technology

Unit 12 - Additives in plastics

12.1.10.Plasticizers
Plasticizers are additives incorporated into more rigid plastics such as PVC and cellulose acetate to make them more flexible (The proportion of plasticizer as parts per hundred resin or parts per hundred total plastic).

Plasticizers should have low volatility, must be compatible with resin and in the case of food contact uses, be free from toxic hazards or taint. The common plasticizers for PVC are phthalates adipates, maleates. The tendency of plasticizer to migrate can be reduced by using polymeric plasticizers (oligomers) e.g. Polyesters and epoxidized vegetable oils.