Introduction:MEK is a liquid solvent used in surface coatings, adhesives, printing  inks, chemical intermediates, magnetic tapes and lube oil dewaxing  agents. MEK also is used as an extraction medium for fats, oils, waxes  and resins.   It is a highly efficient and versatile solvent for surface coatings.  Because of its effectiveness as a solvent, MEK is especially  valuable in formulating high solids coatings, which help to reduce  emissions from coating operations.  MEK is a natural component of many  foods, including apple juice, beans, chicken, honey and a variety of             cheeses. Synonyms for MEK are 2-butanone, ethyl methyl ketone, and  methyl acetone.Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK)MEK is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indirect food  additive for adhesives and polymers.  The panel, with the U.S. EPA as  the sponsoring organization, prepared the technical support documents  for MEK under the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) Voluntary High Production Volume (HPV) chemical review.