Migration of antimony from PET trays into food simulant and food: determination of Arrhenius parameters and comparison of predicted and measured migration data

Abstract

Migration experiments with small sheets cut out from ovenable PET trays were performed in two-sided contact with 3% acetic acid as food simulant at various temperatures. The fraction of diffusible antimony (Sb) was estimated to be 62% in the PET sample under study. Apparent diffusion coefficients of Sb in PET trays were determined experimentally. Measurement of migration between 20 and 150°C yielded a linear Arrhenius plot over a wide temperature range from which the activation energy (Ea) of 188 ± 36 kJ mol−1 and the pre-exponential factor (D0) of 3.6 × 1014 cm2s−1 were determined for diffusing Sb species. Ea was similar to previously reported values for PET bottles obtained with a different experimental approach. Ea and D0 were applied as model parameters in migration modelling software for predicting the Sb transfer in real food. Ready meals intended for preparation in a baking oven were heated in the PET trays under study and the actual Sb migration into the food phase was measured by isotope dilution ICP-MS. It was shown that the predictive modelling reproduces correctly experimental data.

Molecular dynamics simulation of three plastic additives’ diffusion in polyethylene terephthalate

“…However, no plastic material is perfectly impermeable. When the package is in contact with food, the additives and residual contaminants from PET material can migrate into food during the process or storage (Monteiro et al 1999;Begley et al 2004;Ӧzlem 2008;Haldimann et al 2013;Keresztes et al 2013;Song et al 2013). The release of additives, initially present in the packaging, into the product can cause undesirable flavours in the food or even promote toxicity and harm to humans.…”

Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate)/cellulose nanocrystal films for food packaging applications: Barrier and migration studies

“…However, to ensure that the PHB/CNC films meet the required standards set by legislation on migration of additives to the food material, migration studies with different model food simulants must be conducted. Migration studies measure the quantity of material, mainly additives or nanoparticles, that transfers from the packaging material to the food product, either through the mechanism of diffusion or adsorption, when food is brought in contact with the packaging . Migration phenomenon could be bidirectional, i.e., from packaging to food or from food to packaging; in either case, migration is considered harmful to human health due to nutritional problems caused by chemicals/nanoparticles, when certain threshold concentrations are exceeded .…”

Influence of polymer swelling and dissolution into food simulants on the release of graphene nanoplates and carbon nanotubes from poly(lactic) acid and polypropylene composite films

“…The total amount ( ) of diffusing substance that left the film at time t is given by the simplified equation Crank). We used the simplified form for migrants from the two sides of the thin planar polymer film immersed in a large volume of food simulant solvent . The concentration of migrant at the boundary condition, , that is, at the “polymer film surface,” was determined by eq.…”

“…We used the simplified form for migrants from the two sides of the thin planar polymer film immersed in a large volume of food simulant solvent. 39 The concentration of migrant at the boundary condition, x5L, that is, at the "polymer film surface," was determined by eq. (6) by introducing an error function UðzÞ, calculated from UðzÞ5 ð2= ffiffiffi p p Þ Ð z 0 dl exp ð2l 2 Þ, assuming that l5ðx2Þ=ð2ͱðDtÞÞ and l5ðx1Þ=ð2ͱðDtÞÞ:…”