Food Contact Materials: Migration and Analysis. Challenges and Limitations on Identification and Quantification

Abstract

Food contact materials (FCM) 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 [1,2] [...]

Current approaches and challenges of sample preparation procedures for the safety assessment of paper and cardboard food contact materials: A comprehensive review

“…Intentionally added substances (IAS) like monomers or production chemicals (i.e., antioxidants, photoinitiators) are added on purpose in the production of the FCMs to perform a technical function (Groh et al., 2021). Non‐intentionally added substances (NIAS) are constituents of FCMs which are generated due to reaction or degradation processes during manufacture, transport or shelf‐life or are present as impurities and/or contaminants in the raw materials used for the production of FCMs and FCAs (Geueke et al., 2018; Tsochatzis, 2021). A number of 8030 IASs have been identified in the European Member State regulations for the “non‐harmonized” FCMs (Simoneau et al., 2016), while it was estimated that 40,000 up to 100,000 NIASs are present in the FCMs (Grob et al., 2006; MacCombie, 2018).…”

Studies of Potential Migration of Hazardous Chemicals from Sustainable Food Contact Materials

“…After gathering information from the scientific literature [ 10 , 17 ], a proper analytical procedure was developed and optimized for studying the transfer of these analytes. OPE chromatographic and mass spectrometric conditions are discussed in a previous paper [ 14 , 18 ]; the PFAS analysis method was developed and validated by liquid chromatography coupled to ion trap-tandem mass spectrometry.…”

Evaluating the food safety and risk assessment evidence-base of polyethylene terephthalate oligomers: Protocol for a systematic evidence map

“…In addition to IAS, FCMs also contain known and unknown non-intentionally added substances (NIAS). NIAS are usually formed as by-products or degradation products during the production, recycling, use of FCMs, or can be attributed to impurities in the starting materials used (Bauer et al, 2019;Franz and Welle, 2020;Geueke et al, 2014;Horodytska et al, 2020;Tsochatzis, 2021). The manufacturer of FCMs has the obligation to ensure the safety of these NIAS in accordance with Article 3 of the Framework Regulation ((EC) No 1935No /2004) and Article 19 of the Plastics Regulation ((EU) No 10/2011) (Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011; Regulation (EC) No 1935No /2004).…”

“…The manufacturer of FCMs has the obligation to ensure the safety of these NIAS in accordance with Article 3 of the Framework Regulation ((EC) No 1935No /2004) and Article 19 of the Plastics Regulation ((EU) No 10/2011) (Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011; Regulation (EC) No 1935No /2004). However, compliance work of such NIAS is often challenging as they include a very large number and complex mixtures of substances whose chemical identity and toxicological properties are often unknown (Elsa et al, 2019;Hu et al, 2021;Sapozhnikova et al, 2021;Tsochatzis, 2021). In addition, there is yet no harmonized risk assessment framework, guidance for assessing the safety or clear recommendations for risk assessment of NIAS by food safety authorities/regulatory bodies worldwide.…”

“…The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published scientific opinions and concluded, following the guidance document for plastic FCMs, that no safety concerns are expected at a total migration of oligomers of less than 0.05 mg/ kg food from the polyester materials polyethylene furanoate (PEF) and a spiroglycol (SPG)-modified PET (EFSA, 2014a(EFSA, , 2014bSilano et al, 2008). The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission (EC) and collaborators have published several studies on the analysis, quantification, and evaluation of oligomers from the polyester plastics, including PET (Alberto Lopes et al, 2021;Tsochatzis, 2021;Tsochatzis et al, 2020aTsochatzis et al, , 2020bTsochatzis et al, , 2019. Their study on coffee capsules showed that some capsules exceeded total migration value of 0.05 mg/kg.…”