Question:

Which of the following food contact materials is used as an engineering polymer?

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Polyesters (like PET) possess superior strength, temperature resistance, and dimensional stability compared to standard commodity plastics, qualifying them as engineering thermoplastics.
  • Polyester
  • Epoxy-resin
  • Polystyrene
  • Ethylene vinyl alcohol
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Polymers are classified as commodity plastics (low cost, high volume like PE, PP, PS) or engineering polymers (high performance, superior mechanical, thermal, and chemical resistance).

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let us analyze each polymer option:
- (B) Epoxy-resin: This is a thermosetting polymer used as a coating for metal cans, not typically classified as an engineering thermoplastic.
- (C) Polystyrene (PS): This is a classic commodity plastic used for low-cost, rigid food containers (like yoghurt cups).
- (D) Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH): This is classified specifically as a high-barrier copolymer, used as a thin layer to block oxygen transmission.
- (A) Polyester: Specifically, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) belong to the thermoplastic polyester family.
PET has high mechanical strength, dimensional stability, chemical resistance, and excellent optical properties.
Due to these superior mechanical and thermal properties compared to standard commodity plastics, polyester is classified as an engineering polymer in packaging applications (such as carbonated beverage bottles and ovenable trays).
Therefore, Polyester is the correct answer.

Step 3: Final Answer:

The food contact material used as an engineering polymer is Polyester.
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