Paula Vera

Composition of the adhesives used in food packaging multilayer materials and migration studies from packaging to food

A wide variety of adhesives can be used to manufacture multilayer food packaging materials. Since these materials are usually in direct contact with the packed food, compounds from the adhesive may migrate into it. Therefore it is important to determine the composition of the adhesives used. The main aims of this work were to determine the compounds present in the adhesives used in the food packaging, to study their migration to food simulants and finally to use these data to test a mathematical tool designed for predicting migration to food from laminates containing adhesives. For this purpose a total of 45 market samples of multilayer materials (laminates and other glued materials) produced with 29 different adhesives were studied. A total of 55 different compounds were detected in these adhesives, 57% of these compounds migrated into a dry food simulant (Tenax®) through the food contact layer. These data were also used to compare it with the theoretically estimated migration of the adhesive compounds using “upper-bound reference” values for the diffusion and partition coefficients implied in a multilayer migration model. In 93% of the cases the estimated migration results met or exceeded the experimental ones. This is an important requirement for testing the applicability of these theoretical migration estimations for compliance decisions which aim to protect the consumers health.

Study of hotmelt adhesives used in food packaging multilayer laminates. Evaluation of the main factors affecting migration to food

Hotmelt adhesives are widely used in the manufacture of multilayer laminates, commonly used as food packaging materials. For this reason, it is very important to determine the composition of the adhesives and to identify which compounds could migrate from the laminate to the food. Twenty four compounds were identified in 2 different hotmelt adhesives, some of them with high toxicity levels according to theoretical model of Cramer, such as 9,10-dihydroanthracene and retene. Some physico-chemical properties of these compounds, such as their partition and diffusion coefficients in the different materials used in the laminates, provide useful information for evaluating their potential migration to the food. The determination of the partition and diffusion coefficients was performed with two different laminates made of cardboard or polypropylene cardboard substrates and the adhesive. Partition and diffusion coefficients of the migrants in the adhesives and substrates were calculated from the experimental results. It was found that diffusion was always lower in the adhesive than in the cardboard. All diffusion coefficients determined increased with temperature while the partition coefficients showed the opposite effect. Migration results confirmed that the migration value of a compound was closely related to the calculated partition and diffusion coefficients. None of the migrants exceeded the recommended Cramer exposure values.

Atmospheric pressure gas chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry as a powerful tool for identification of non intentionally added substances in acrylic adhesives used in food packaging materials

Acrylic adhesives are used to manufacture multilayer laminates that are used in food packaging to form the geometric shape of the package as well as to stick labels on the packages. Once applied on the packaging adhesives can supply potential migrants that could endanger the packaged food. Adhesives are complex matrices where intentionally and non intentionally added substances are present, but the identification of the migrants is required by law. In this study atmospheric pressure gas chromatography coupled to a quadrupole hyphenated to a time of flight mass spectrometer (APGC-MS/Q-TOF) has been explored for identification of unknowns coming from three different acrylic adhesives. The results are compared to those obtained by conventional GC-MS-Q (quadrupole). Sixteen compounds were identified by GC-MS/Q and five of them were confirmed by APGC-MS/Q-TOF as their molecular ions were found. Moreover, additional three new compounds were identified and their structure was elucidated working with the spectra obtained by APGC-MS/Q-TOF. This finding was very relevant as these compounds were biocides suspected to be allergenic and cytotoxic in humans. Migration studies were carried out using Tenax as solid food simulant and the results showed that the three acrylic adhesives tested in this work were safe for being used in food packaging materials since the migration of compounds previously identified was below the limit established in the current legislation.

The additive properties of Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay: The case of essential oils

The ORAC assay is applied to measure the antioxidant capacity of foods or dietary supplements. Sometimes, the manufacturers claim antioxidant capacities that may not correspond to the constituents of the product. These statements are sheltered by the general understanding that antioxidants might exhibit synergistic properties, but this is not necessarily true when dealing with ORAC assay values. This contribution applies the ORAC assay to measure the antioxidant capacity of ten essential oils typically added to foodstuffs: citronella, dill, basil, red thyme, thyme, rosemary, oregano, clove and cinnamon. The major components of these essential oils were twenty-one chemicals in total. After a preliminary discrimination, the antioxidant capacity of eugenol, carvacrol, thymol, α-pinene, limonene and linalool was determined. The results showed that 72-115% of the antioxidant capacity of the essential oils corresponded to the addition of the antioxidant capacity of their constituents. Thus, the ORAC assay showed additive properties.

Migration of odorous compounds from adhesives used in market samples of food packaging materials by chromatography olfactometry and mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS).

Adhesives are commonly used in the manufacture of multilayer food packaging materials. Although they are not in direct contact with the packed food, their compounds may migrate from the adhesive through the substrates to the food. The aim of this work is to determine the migrant concentration in order to evaluate the possible human risk and also to determine if this migration could affect the organoleptic properties of packed food. For this purpose, a total of 12 market samples of multilayer materials (laminates) for packaging dry food (tomatoes, cakes, cookies, breadcrumbs, flour or salt) or fresh food (pizza and pastry) produced with 5 different adhesives were analysed by GC-O-MS. A total of 25 different compounds from adhesives were detected in these laminates. Seventy-six percentage of these compounds migrated into a dry food simulant (Tenax®). Furthermore, compounds with concentrations below the MS detection limit were detected by sniffers with a high modified frequency (MF%). Acetic acid, butyric acid and cyclohexanol with vinegar, cheese and camphor odours were the most abundant compounds. All migration data were below the specific migration limits (SML) and threshold toxicological concern (TTC) recommended values according to the Cramer classification.

Identification and quantification of odorous compounds from adhesives used in food packaging materials by headspace solid phase extraction and headspace solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry

Adhesives are often responsible for off-flavors in food in contact with packaging. The aim of this investigation was to identify by GC-O-MS the odorous compounds in five different types of adhesive (hotmelt, vinyl acetate ethylene, starch, polyvinyl acetate and acrylic) used in food packaging. In order to obtain a substantial number of compounds, they were extracted by two complementary extraction methods: HS-SPE and HS-SPME. Fifteen minutes extraction time using PDMS fiber for hotmelt adhesive and DVD/CAR/PDMS fiber for the other adhesives were the best conditions for defining a representative solvent-free adhesive extract using a rapid and simple D-GC-O technique. Thirty-three compounds were identified by GC-O-MS. These include butyric acid, acetic acid, methyl butyrate, 1-butanol and nonanal, which were present in most of the adhesives under study producing cheesy, rancid, sour, medicinal and green aromas, respectively. The concentrations were determined, the most abundant compound being acetic acid with concentrations from 22.9 to 8930 μg g(-1) of adhesive.

Identification of non-volatile compounds and their migration from hot melt adhesives used in food packaging materials characterized by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The identification of unknown non-volatile migrant compounds from adhesives used in food contact materials is a very challenging task because of the number of possible compounds involved, given that adhesives are complex mixtures of chemicals. The use of ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/QTOF) is shown to be a successful tool for identifying non-targeted migrant compounds from two hot melt adhesives used in food packaging laminates. Out of the seven migrants identified and quantified, five were amides and one was a compound classified in Class II of the Cramer toxicity. None of the migration values exceeded the recommended Cramer exposure values.

Risk assessment derived from migrants identified in several adhesives commonly used in food contact materials.

Adhesives are used to manufacture multilayer materials, where their components pass through the layers and migrate to the food. Nine different adhesives (acrylic, vinyl and hotmelt) and their migration in 21 laminates for future use as market samples have been evaluated and risk assessment has been carried out. A total of 75 volatiles and non volatile compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Most of the compounds migrated below their specific migration limit (SML), lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL), no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) and values recommended by Cramer. Six compounds classified as high toxicity class III according to Cramer classification, migrated over their SML and exposure values recommended by Cramer, when they were applied in the full area of the packaging. Nevertheless, these adhesives fulfill the threshold in the real application as they are applied in a small area of the packaging.

Atmospheric pressure gas chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry as a tool for identification of volatile migrants from autoadhesive labels used for direct food contact.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA) are used to manufacture labels that are applied directly on the food. These adhesives could contain not only intentionally added compounds (IAS) to the adhesive formula but also non-intentionally added substances (NIAS), due to the impurities from the raw materials used, decomposition of the initial components or from chemical interactions between them. These compounds could migrate to the food and contaminate it. In this study, gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS/Q) and atmospheric pressure gas chromatography coupled to a quadrupole hyphenated to a time of flight mass spectrometer (APGC-MS/Q-TOF) have been used for identification of unknown compounds and NIAS coming from a PSA. Seven compounds were identified by GC-MS/Q, and other eight compounds remained initially unknown. The structure of these eight new compounds was elucidated by working with the spectra obtained by APGC-MS/Q-TOF. Finally, two different migration studies were carried out. The first one with Tenax as solid food simulant in contact with the paper label containing the adhesive and the second one with isooctane filled in a natural pork intestine where the label containing the adhesive was applied on the external side. The results are shown and discussed.

Multiple headspace-solid phase microextraction for the determination of migrants coming from a self-stick label in fresh sausage

Most fresh sausages are sold with a self-stick adhesive label stuck directly on it. Because of that, the substances in the adhesive could migrate into the fresh sausage. In this work, the multiple headspace-solid-phase microextraction technique has been optimized to quantify the migrants found in the fresh sausage. All the compounds could be analyzed by this technique since its concentration decay exponentially with the number of extractions with good correlation coefficients (0.8258-0.9987). Then, migration assays were carried out and an evaluation of the potential risk for the human health was undertaken with the conclusion that the migration of the compounds from the label does not endanger human health. The results were compared those obtained in migration to casing filled with isooctane used as fat food simulant by Canellas et al. (2014). The values obtained for isooctane (10-600 ng/g) were much higher than the migration values found in the meat stuffed in casing expressed as ng/g of fat content (ranged from 0.02 to 3.3 ng/g of fat content). This finding shows that in some scenarios, it is difficult to simulate the intended contact of materials used in food packaging with simulants.