Abstract
Several food contact materials (FCMs) contain non-intentionally added substances (NIAS), and most of the substances that migrate from plastic food packaging are unknown. This review aimed to situate the main challenges involving unknown NIAS in plastic food packaging in terms of identification, migration tests, prediction, sample preparation, determination methods and risk assessment trials. Most studies have identified NIAS in plastic materials as polyurethane adhesives (PU), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester coatings, polypropylene materials (PP), multilayers materials, plastic films, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), recycled materials, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Degradation products are almost the primary source of NIAS in plastic FCMs, most from antioxidants as Irganox 1010 and Irgafos 168, following by oligomers and side reaction products. The NIAS assessment in plastics FCMs is usually made by migration tests under worst-case conditions using food simulants. For predicted NIAS, targeted analytical methods are applied using GC-MS based methods for volatile NIAS and GC-MS and LC-MS based methods for semi- and non-volatile NIAS; non-targeted methods to analyze unknown NIAS in plastic FCMs are applied using GC and LC techniques combined with QTOF mass spectrometry (HRMS). In terms of NIAS risk assessment and prioritization, the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) concept is the most applied tool for risk assessment. Bioassays with sensitive analytical techniques seem to be an efficient method to identify NIAS and their hazard to human exposure; the combination of genotoxicity testing with analytical chemistry could allow the Cramer class III TTC application to prioritize unknown NIAS. The scientific justification for implementing a molecular weight-based cut-off (<1000 Da) in the risk assessment of FCMs should be reevaluated. Although official guides and opinions are being issued on the subject, the whole chain’s alignment is needed, and more specific legislation on the steps to follow to get along with NIAS.
Highlights
Food packaging can contain non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) as a result of the interactions between different substances in the packaging materials, between food content and substances in food contact material (FCM), from degradation processes and mainly from the impurities present in the raw materials used for food contact materials (FCMs) production [1,2,3,4,5]. (EU) no 10/2011 defines that “non-intentionally added substance means an impurity in the substances used or a reaction intermediate formed during the production process or a decomposition or reaction product”
GC(×GC)-(EI)TOFLRMS: two-dimensional gas chromatography-electron ionization time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry; GC-mass spectrometry detectors (MS): gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; H-NMR: Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; HS-SPME-GC-MS: a combination of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; LC-ESI-quadrupole time-offlight (Q-TOF)-MS: liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometer quadrupole time of flight; LC-HRMS: liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry; UHPLC–Q-TOF/MSE: ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry; UPLC IMS/QTOF: ultra-performance liquid chromatography-ion mobility separation-quadruple time-of-flight; UPLCQTOF-MS; UPLC–MS(QTOF): ultra-performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry
GC × GC−ToF MS: two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry; gas chromatography flame ionization detection (GC-FID)–MS: gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and flame ionization detector; GC-MS: gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; HPLC-diode array detector (DAD): high-performance liquid chromatographic method with diode-array detection; HS-SPME-GC-MS: a combination of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HSSPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; LC-MS/MS: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry Pyr-GC–MS: Pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; UHPLC–ESI Q-orbitrap: ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometry; UHPLC–Q-TOF/MSE: ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry; UPLC IMS QTOF: ultra-performance liquid chromatography-ion mobility separationquadruple time-of-flight; UPLC-ESI-MS/QTOF: ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometer quadrupole time of flight
Summary
Food packaging can contain non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) as a result of the interactions between different substances in the packaging materials, between food content and substances (for example, additives) in food contact material (FCM), from degradation processes and mainly from the impurities present in the raw materials used for FCM production [1,2,3,4,5]. (EU) no 10/2011 defines that “non-intentionally added substance means an impurity in the substances used or a reaction intermediate formed during the production process or a decomposition or reaction product”. Substances that migrate into foodstuffs require equal treatment in risk assessment, irrespective of their source or intended function For all those not explicitly regulated substances, if they migrate to food and if used intentionally or are NIAS, the package manufacturers and food industries must demonstrate safety in their supporting documentation [8]. An FCS is “any substance that is intended for use as a component of materials used in manufacturing, packing, packaging, transporting, or holding food if such use is not intended to have any technical effect in such food” This definition does not cover non-intentionally added substances, and the term NIAS is not applied in a legal context in the US. This review aims to situate the main challenges in identifying and determining NIAS in plastic food packaging, seeking to direct the Polymers 2021, 13, 2077 following steps to achieve the agencies’ official regulation and application and adequacy of the food industries
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