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Food Contact Materials: Migration and Analysis
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Food Contact Materials: Migration and Analysis

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 January 2022) | Viewed by 18527

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Emmanouil Tsochatzis

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science, Centre of Innovative Food Research (iFood), Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
Interests: analytical chemistry; food contact materials (intentionally added substances (IAS) and non-intentionally added substances (NIAS)); sustainability and recycling of plastics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The food chain contains several steps that start from the farm and ends to the fork of consumers. Within this frame, food contact materials are defined as the objects and materials intended to come into direct or indirect contact with foodstuff, while food contact articles are defined as objects, being equipment, containers, packaging and various utensils which are clearly intended to be used for the manufacture, preparation, conservation, flow, transport or handling of foodstuffs or which are presented as such. Plastic materials are widely used in food packaging applications; however, there is increased concern because of the possible content and subsequent release of undesirable components into foodstuffs or food simulants, due to migration. During the production of these plastics, several compounds can be included, either intentionally added substances (IAS) like monomers and production chemicals (i.e antioxidants) or the so-called non-intentionally added substances (NIAS), which are generated as a result of reaction and degradation processes or due to the presence of impurities in the raw materials used for the packaging production. This category of substances might include up to several thousands of compounds, where the vast majority is unknown. As such, this Special Issue is focusing on the identification, structural elucidation, method development and validation as well as on the analysis of all the aforementioned compounds, whilst reporting all the foreseen scientific and analytical challenges.

Dr. Emmanouil Tsochatzis
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Food contact materials
  • Intentionally added substances (IAS)
  • Non-intentionally added substances (NIAS)
  • Analysis, identification and quantification
  • Migration testing
  • Specific migration limits
  • Toxicity evaluation and assessment
  • Exposure studies
  • Risk assessment

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 4480 KiB  
Article
Migration Testing of GPPS and HIPS Polymers: Swelling Effect Caused by Food Simulants Compared to Real Foods
by Valeria Guazzotti, Anita Gruner, Mladen Juric, Veronika Hendrich, Angela Störmer and Frank Welle
Molecules 2022, 27(3), 823; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27030823 - 26 Jan 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4533
Abstract
Migration kinetic data from general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) were generated for a set of model substances as well as styrene monomer and oligomers at different temperatures (20 °C, 40 °C, 60 °C) using food simulants stipulated in the [...] Read more.
Migration kinetic data from general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) were generated for a set of model substances as well as styrene monomer and oligomers at different temperatures (20 °C, 40 °C, 60 °C) using food simulants stipulated in the European Regulation (EU) 10/2011 and real foods like milk, cream and olive oil (20 °C, 40 °C). The extent of polymer swelling was characterized gravimetrically and visual changes of the test specimens after migration contact were recorded. Isooctane and 95% ethanol caused strong swelling and visual changes of HIPS, overestimating real migration into foods especially at high temperatures; GPPS was affected by isooctane only at 60 °C. With 50% ethanol, after 10 days contact at 60 °C or 40 °C both polymers were slightly swollen. Contrary, most of the real foods analyzed caused no detectable swelling or visual changes of the investigated polymers. This study demonstrates that the recommendations provided by EU regulations are not always in agreement with the physicochemical properties of styrenic polymers. The critical point remains the selection of adequate food simulants/testing conditions, since the high overestimation of aggressive media can lead to non-compliance of polystyrene materials even if the migration into real food would be of no concern. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Contact Materials: Migration and Analysis)
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19 pages, 5905 KiB  
Article
Impact of Partitioning in Short-Term Food Contact Applications Focused on Polymers in Support of Migration Modelling and Exposure Risk Assessment
by Rainer Brandsch, Mark Pemberton, Dieter Schuster and Frank Welle
Molecules 2022, 27(1), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27010121 - 26 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3283
Abstract
Food contact materials (FCMs) can transfer chemicals arising from their manufacture to food before consumption. Regulatory frameworks ensure consumer safety by prescribing methods for the assessment of FCMs that rely on migration testing either into real-life foods or food simulants. Standard migration testing [...] Read more.
Food contact materials (FCMs) can transfer chemicals arising from their manufacture to food before consumption. Regulatory frameworks ensure consumer safety by prescribing methods for the assessment of FCMs that rely on migration testing either into real-life foods or food simulants. Standard migration testing conditions for single-use FCMs are justifiably conservative, employing recognized worst-case contact times and temperatures. For repeated-use FCMs, the third of three consecutive tests using worst-case conditions is taken as a surrogate of the much shorter contact period that often occurs over the service life of these items. Food contact regulations allow for the use of migration modelling for the chemicals in the FCM and for the partitioning that occurs between the FCM and food/simulant during prolonged contact, under which steady-state conditions are favored. This study demonstrates that the steady-state is rarely reached under repeated-use conditions and that partitioning plays a minor role that results in migration essentially being diffusion controlled. Domains of use have been identified within which partitioning does not play a significant role, allowing modelling based upon diffusion parameters to be used. These findings have the potential to advance the modelling of migration from repeated-use articles for the benefit of regulatory guidance and compliance practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Contact Materials: Migration and Analysis)
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15 pages, 1918 KiB  
Article
Determination of 60 Migrant Substances in Plastic Food Contact Materials by Vortex-Assisted Liquid-Liquid Extraction and GC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS
by Pablo Miralles, Vicent Yusà, Yovana Sanchís and Clara Coscollà
Molecules 2021, 26(24), 7640; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26247640 - 16 Dec 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4423
Abstract
A GC-HRMS analytical method for the determination of 60 migrant substances, including aldehydes, ketones, phthalates and other plasticizers, phenol derivatives, acrylates, and methacrylates, in plastic food contact materials (FCM) has been developed and validated. The proposed method includes migration tests, according to Commission [...] Read more.
A GC-HRMS analytical method for the determination of 60 migrant substances, including aldehydes, ketones, phthalates and other plasticizers, phenol derivatives, acrylates, and methacrylates, in plastic food contact materials (FCM) has been developed and validated. The proposed method includes migration tests, according to Commission Regulation (EU) 10/2011, using four food simulants (A, B, C, and D1), followed by vortex-assisted liquid–liquid extraction (VA-LLE) and GC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS analysis in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode, with a resolving power of 30,000 FWHM and a mass accuracy ≤5 ppm. The method was validated, showing satisfactory linearity (R2 ≥ 0.98 from 40 to 400 µg L−1), limits of quantification (40 µg L−1), precision (RSD, 0.6–12.6%), and relative recovery (81–120%). The proposed method was applied to the analysis of field samples, including an epoxy-coated tin food can, a drinking bottle made of Tritan copolyester, a disposable glass made of polycarbonate, and a baby feeding bottle made of polypropylene, showing that they were in compliance with the current European regulation regarding the studied substances. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Contact Materials: Migration and Analysis)
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14 pages, 1332 KiB  
Article
Gut Microbiome and Degradation Product Formation during Biodegradation of Expanded Polystyrene by Mealworm Larvae under Different Feeding Strategies
by Emmanouil Tsochatzis, Ida Elizabeth Berggreen, Francesca Tedeschi, Konstantina Ntrallou, Helen Gika and Milena Corredig
Molecules 2021, 26(24), 7568; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26247568 - 14 Dec 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5153
Abstract
Polystyrene (PS) is a plastic polymer extensively used for food packaging. PS is difficult to decompose and has low recycling rates, resulting in its accumulation in the environment, in the form of microplastic particles causing pollution and harming oceans and wildlife. Degradation of [...] Read more.
Polystyrene (PS) is a plastic polymer extensively used for food packaging. PS is difficult to decompose and has low recycling rates, resulting in its accumulation in the environment, in the form of microplastic particles causing pollution and harming oceans and wildlife. Degradation of PS by mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) has been suggested as a possible biological strategy for plastic contamination; however, the biodegradation mechanism of PS by mealworms is poorly understood. It is hypothesized that the gut microbiome plays an important role in the degradation of PS by mealworms. This study carried out a comparative analysis of the gut microbiome of Tenebrio molitor larvae under different feeding strategies, and of the formation of degradation compounds (monomers, oligomers). A diet of bran:PS at 4:1 and 20:1 ratios was tested. The diet with the low ratio of bran:PS led to the presence of higher amounts of these compounds, compared to that with the high ratio. In addition, it was demonstrated that the addition of H2O significantly improved the biodegradation of PS monomer and oligomer residues, which could be identified only in the frass. The protein and nitrogen contents in insects’ biomass and frass varied amongst treatments. The diets resulted in differences in the gut microbiota, and three potential bacterial strains were identified as candidates involved in the biodegradation of PS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Contact Materials: Migration and Analysis)
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