Ultraviolet light printing inks are considered safer than the classical inks; however, despite being on the outer surface of the packaging material, their components can migrate into foodstuffs and can give rise to contamination. Photoinitiators are a part of the formulation of printing inks, being an important class of migrant, for which there have been more than 100 incidents of contamination of packaged food with photoinitiators reported through Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) alerts in the European Union. In this review the process of photo-polymerisation is explained in depth to provide an insight into the complexity of the process, and the diversity of potential contaminants together with their degradation products. The critical factors affecting the migration process itself are reviewed, together with analytical methods and the current legislation in the European Union and other parts of the world.

During the last decade the safety of bisphenol A (BPA) monomer in polycarbonate baby bottles has drawn the attention of both the public and the scientific community. This paper presents the results of BPA migration from polycarbonate baby bottles bought in the Spanish market, into simulant B (3% acetic acid), 50% ethanol and into real food (reconstituted infant formula). Furthermore, it was also the objective of this study to assess the suitability of 50% ethanol as a simulant for infant formula. BPA was analysed by a multi-analyte liquid chromatography method with fluorescence detection and mass spectrometry confirmation. The method was in-house validated and accredited by the national accreditation body. The validation results for this analyte in the previous mentioned matrices were: LOD = 0.004-0.007 mg kg(-1); LOQ (validated) = 0.03 mg kg(-1); RSD% = 3.4-5.8; and recovery = 106.6-118.2%. A collection of 72 different baby bottle samples from 12 different brands were analysed. Baby bottle material was identified by FTIR. The migration test conditions used were those recommended for baby bottles in the Guidelines on testing conditions for articles in contact with foodstuffs (with a focus on kitchenware), prepared by the European network of laboratories for food-contact materials. In most of the migration assays the results were below the LOD. In four of the commercial brands there was detectable migration into the simulant 50% ethanol and BPA was detected in only two samples of infant formula (0.01 mg kg(-1)). Migration results obtained were in compliance with European Union regulations.

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) has reported many cases of different UV curing inks components in foodstuffs during the last few years. These contaminants reach foodstuffs mainly by set-off, their principal migration mechanism from the package. Under this premise, this work has tried to characterize the process of migration of two common UV ink components: a photoinitiator (4-Methylbenzophenone) and a coinitiator (Ethyl-4-(dimethylamino) benzoate), from the most common plastic material used in food packaging low-density polyethylene (LDPE) into six different food simulants. The migration kinetics tests were performed at four different common storage temperatures, obtaining the key migration parameters for both molecules: the coefficients of diffusion and partition. The migration process was highly dependent on the storage conditions, the photoinitiator properties and the pH of the foodstuff.

The aim of this paper is to offer a method based on headspace gas chromatography-mass (HS-GC-MS) spectrometry technique in-house validated and use to estimate furan concentrations in jarred baby-food samples purchased from the Spanish market. The validation was performed according to ISO 17025 and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) requirements and the results obtained (limit of detection (LOD) = 0.05 microg kg(-1); limit of quantification (LOQ) = 4 microg kg(-1), lowest validated level; relative standard deviation (RSD) = 3.1-10.5%; recoveries = 85.4-101.5%) confirm that this method is fit for the routine analysis of furan in jarred baby food control. Furan was analysed in 39 different baby-food samples and the mean levels varied between 64.6 microg kg(-1) (rice and chicken samples) and less than or equal to the LOQ (fruit-based samples). The mean concentrations found for the different matrices were 5.0, 37.8, 25.2, 33.8 and 30.5 microg kg(-1) for fruit, vegetables, meat/vegetables, fish/vegetables and dairy-containing baby foods, respectively. According to the statistical analyses, fruit-based baby-food samples had significantly lower concentrations of furan. Mean values for the other matrices were at least five times higher, and this is in accordance with the levels reported in other studies.

The internal surface of food and beverage cans is generally covered with polymeric coatings to preserve food and protect metal substrate from corrosion.Coating materials are complex formulations that contain different starting substances (e.g., monomers, prepolymers, additives, etc.) and in addition during the manufacture of the material several compounds can be formed (e.g., reaction products, degradation products, etc.). These substances have the potential to migrate into the food. Many of them have not been identified and only some have been toxicologically evaluated. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review on the analytical methods used for the identification of potential migrants in can coatings. The migration and exposure to chemicals migrating from can coatings are also reviewed and discussed so far, which is essential for risk assessment. Moreover, a brief section on the current status of the legislation on varnishes and coatings for food contact in Europe is also presented. Liquid chromatography coupled to diode array and fluorescence detectors and particularly to mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry seem to be the techniques of choice for the identification of potential migrants in can coatings. Some studies have reported migration levels of BPA (bisphenol A) and BADGE (bisphenol A diglycidyl ether) and derivatives exceeding the specific migration limits set in the European legislation. On the whole, low dietary exposure to migrants from can coatings has been reported. However, it is interesting to highlight that in these studies the combined exposure to multiple chemicals has not been considered.