Migration of photoinitiators from cardboard into dry food: evaluation of Tenax® as a food simulant

Photoinitiators are widely used to cure ink on packaging materials used in food applications such as cardboards for the packaging of dry foods. Conventional migration testing for long-term storage at ambient temperature with Tenax^® was applied to paperboard for the following photoinitiators: benzophenone (BP), 4,4?-bis(diethylamino)benzophenone (DEAB), 2-chloro-9H-thioxanthen-9-one (CTX), 1-chloro-4-propoxy-9H-thioxanthen-9-one (CPTX), 4-(dimethylamino)benzophenone (DMBP), 2-ethylanthraquinone (EA), 2-ethylhexyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate (EDB), ethyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate (EDMAB), 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4-HBP), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (HMBP), 2-hydroxy-4?-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone (HMMP), 2-isopropyl-9H-thioxanthen-9-one (ITX), 4-methylbenzophenone (MBP) and Michler’s ketone (MK). Test conditions (10 days at 60°C) were according to Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 and showed different migration patterns for the different photoinitiators. The results were compared with the migration in cereals after a storage of 6 months at room temperature. The simulation with Tenax at 60°C overestimated actual migration in cereals up to a maximum of 92%. In addition, the effect of a lower contact temperature and the impact of the Tenax pore size were investigated. Analogous simulation performed with rice instead of Tenax resulted in insufficiently low migration rates, showing Tenax is a much stronger adsorbent than rice and cereals.     

Use of Tenax® films to demonstrate the migration of chemical contaminants from cardboard into dry food

ABSTRACT

Contaminants in food packaging are a challenge of our time since the packaging material itself has been found to represent a source of food contamination through the migration of substances from it. Before first use, packaging materials destined for the packaging of dry foods can be evaluated by performing migration experiments with the simulant for dry foods, Tenax®. This simulant is commercially available as a powder that is more difficult to handle during the migration experiments. This paper reports the development of a Tenax film. The film can be applied to the cardboard surface to conduct the migration test. After the migration is completed, the film can be easily extracted to determine the concentration of the contaminants in the film. Finally, the performance of the Tenax film was compared with the conventional Tenax powder for the evaluation of 15 model migrants.     

Simulation of the migration of mineral oil from recycled paperboard into dry foods by Tenax®?

Conventional migration testing for long-term storage at ambient temperature with Tenax^® was applied to a recycled paperboard as well as to the same paperboard with a polyethylene or polypropylene film in between. Test conditions were from the European Union plastic Regulation 10/2011, that is, 10 days at 60°C, but previous standard conditions of 10 days at 40°C were also applied. The results were compared with the migration into real packs made of the same packaging material containing six test foods and stored over 9 months. For the direct contact, simulation at 60°C overestimated the maximum migration of the saturated hydrocarbons in the real packs by 73%. Simulation reflected hardly any effect by the plastic films and resulted in an overestimation of the maximum migration into the real packs by a factor of 5.1 and 27 for the polyethylene and the polypropylene film, respectively. Analogous simulation was performed with polenta (corn semolina) instead of Tenax^®. Three main causes for this deviation were identified: (i) at 60°C, migration reached beyond n-C₃₅, whereas it ends at about n-C₂₄ in reality. (ii) Tenax^® is a far stronger adsorbent than foods, resulting in almost complete extraction. (iii) The significant barrier effect of polypropylene films at ambient temperature is lost at increased temperature. The suitability of such simulation for the prediction of long-term migration is questioned.     

The analysis of saturated and aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons in dry foods and from recycled paperboard packages by online HPLC–GC–FID

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of mineral oil hydrocarbons in dry foodstuffs packed in recycled paperboard, which were imported from different foreign countries to Germany. After collection, mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in dry foodstuffs and recycled paperboard were analysed using online coupled high-performance liquid chromatography–gas chromatography–flame ionisation detection (online HPLC–GC–FID) far before the end of the shelf life of the samples. Our results showed that recycled paperboard has MOAH content higher than that of dry foodstuffs. The proportion of MOAH within total mineral oil hydrocarbons was determined to be 7–45% in dry foodstuffs and 4–48% in paperboard. In addition, 29% of the products were found to contain over 1.00 mg/kg MOAH, with a maximum of 2.72 mg/kg in oatmeal. White colour recycled paperboard contained lower amounts of MOSH and MOAH than that of brown and grey colour recycled paperboard. The MOSH concentration in dry foodstuffs ranged from 0.11 to 21.92 mg/kg (?C25 hydrocarbons), which may be an indication of rapid migration. The lowest determined MOSH concentrations (?C25 hydrocarbons) were found in sea salt and soda samples, even when their paperboard contained high mineral oil hydrocarbons. Our three samples in packages containing internal bags (for complete barriers) were found to have low mineral oil concentration due to reduced migration through plastic (acrylate-coated polypropylene). However, one sample, a ‘crispy’ product with an internal bag, contained the extreme amount of 21.92 mg/kg. Differences in contaminants observed in both dry foodstuffs and recycled paperboard may have been due to the different packaging and production techniques of the different countries. In addition, 8 of 24 dry foodstuff samples contained MOSH concentrations frequently exceeding the 2.0 mg/kg limit for MOSH C₂₀–C₃₅.     

Migration of mineral oil from party plates of recycled paperboard into foods: 1. Is recycled paperboard fit for the purpose? 2. Adequate testing procedure

Party plates made of recycled paperboard with a polyolefin film on the food contact surface (more often polypropylene than polyethylene) were tested for migration of mineral oil into various foods applying reasonable worst case conditions. The worst case was identified as a slice of fried meat placed onto the plate while hot and allowed to cool for 1?h. As it caused the acceptable daily intake (ADI) specified by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) to be exceeded, it is concluded that recycled paperboard is generally acceptable for party plates only when separated from the food by a functional barrier. Migration data obtained with oil as simulant at 70°C was compared to the migration into foods. A contact time of 30?min was found to reasonably cover the worst case determined in food.     

Migration of mineral oil from party plates of recycled paperboard into foods: 1. Is recycled paperboard fit for the purpose? 2. Adequate testing procedure

Party plates made of recycled paperboard with a polyolefin film on the food contact surface (more often polypropylene than polyethylene) were tested for migration of mineral oil into various foods applying reasonable worst case conditions. The worst case was identified as a slice of fried meat placed onto the plate while hot and allowed to cool for 1 h. As it caused the acceptable daily intake (ADI) specified by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) to be exceeded, it is concluded that recycled paperboard is generally acceptable for party plates only when separated from the food by a functional barrier. Migration data obtained with oil as simulant at 70°C was compared to the migration into foods. A contact time of 30 min was found to reasonably cover the worst case determined in food.     

Preparation and uncertainty evaluation of standard samples for testing of dye transfer inhibition in washing北大核心CSCD

As for domestic washing the problem of fabric dye transfer in washing is becoming more and more serious which leads to the decrease of added value of fabrics and affects the aesthetics. With the improvement of people's living standards the demand for fabrics with high color saturation is increasing day by day. However fabrics with high color saturation are often accompanied by problems such as fabric dye transfer in the washing process which has become a pain point in clothing washing. For this reason washing machines at home and abroad are generally equipped with dye transfer inhibition and color protection washing procedures to alleviate the dye transfer phenomenon caused by mixed washing. Jiangnan University and Wuxi Little Swan Electric Co. Ltd. have carried out a series of studies on the formulation of dye transfer inhibition washing standards and the development of standard samples. In order to realize scientific and objective evaluation of dye transfer inhibition performance and solve the problem of lack of standard samples in washing dye transfer inhibition tests white cloth standard samples and red cloth standard samples for washing dye transfer inhibition tests were prepared to simulate light color clothes and dark color clothes in mixed washing. The color depth and water fastness of the prepared standard color cloth are 0. 2% and grade 3 respectively which comply with the provisions of GB / T 12490 - 2014 Textiles—Tests for Colour Fastness—Color Fastness to Domestic and Commercial Laundering. The homogeneity of standard white cloth and standard red cloth were tested by variance analysis the short-term stability test and long-term stability test were carried out for the data with an interval of one month and one year respectively by using the stability test formula. For the whiteness and color difference data tested by seven laboratories in order to analyze the normality of the fixed value data it is necessary to conduct a normality test on the obtained data. For this reason the skewness and kurtosis methods are used to conduct a normality test. The indicators tested include the average standard error standard deviation skewness skewness standard deviation kurtosis and kurtosis standard deviation etc. And Cochrane criterion and Dixon criterion are used to judge whether there are outliers. The indicators tested include statistics low-end outliers and high-end outliers. When calculating the uncertainty the uniformity short-term stability long-term stability and uncertainty introduced in the process of setting are calculated respectively to obtain the combined uncertainty. The results show that the standard white cloth and standard colored cloth have good uniformity and high stability. The combined uncertainty of the standard white cloth is 0. 365 8 and the combined uncertainty of the standard color cloth is 0. 358 0. The uncertainty mainly comes from the uncertainty introduced in the process of value determination. The uncertainty introduced by the uniformity short-term stability and long-term stability has little impact. This paper has prepared the standard sample for washing dye transfer inhibition test and provided the standard sample that is missing in the washing dye transfer inhibition test which is expected to realize the objective evaluation of the dye transfer inhibition performance promote the development of the dye transfer inhibition program carried by the washing machine and realize the scientific evaluation of the washing dye transfer inhibition performance. © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved.     

Edible films made from blends of manioc starch and gelatin – Influence of different types of plasticizer and different levels of macromolecules on their properties

The interest in the development of edible and biodegradable films has increased because it is every day more evident that non-degradable materials are doing much damage to the environment. In this research, bioplastics were based on blends of manioc starch (native and modified) and gelatin in different proportions, added of glycerol or sorbitol, which were used as plasticizers. The objective was to study the effect of two different plasticizers, glycerol and sorbitol, and different concentrations of starch and gelatin on the barrier (water vapor permeability – WVP), mechanical (tensile strength and elongation at break), physicochemical (solubility in water and in acid) and physical properties (opacity and thickness) of the obtained bioplastics samples. As a result, all of them showed transparency and resistance to tensile strength, as well as increasing in thickness values and in the WVP, as the gelatin content increased in the formulations. Finally, all results for tensile strength and elongation at break obtained for those samples plasticized with sorbitol were better than those plasticized with glycerol.     

Improved HPLC methodology for food control – furfurals and patulin as markers of quality

This work describes an improved, simple high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the simultaneous determination of furfuraldeydes (2-furfural (2-F), 5-methylfurfural (5-MF) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF)) and patulin in food products. The compounds were simultaneously determined by reversed-phase HPLC using a C₁₈ column and photodiode array (DAD) detection. The method, simple and accurate, showed recoveries of furfuraldeydes from 6% to 100% and the recovery of patulin is about 90%. The method was applied to different commercial food matrices: honey, white and demerara table sugars, white and red balsamic vinegars, caramel, nutritional supplement, sugar substitute, apple juices (clear and cloudy) and also to a mould infected apple. The one-step, sensitive (the limits of detection (LODs) for patulin, 5-HMF, 5-MF and 2-F were 0.09, 0.06, 0.23 and 0.73 ppb, respectively), no time consuming methodology will contribute to characterize and quantify the presence of these compounds in human diet and to determine the quality of foods.     

Functional food ingredients for the management of obesity and associated co-morbidities – A review

Worldwide obesity has reached a pandemic proportion. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by 2020, two thirds of the global disease burden will be attributable to obesity and obesity associated complications. Existing anti-obesity drugs, affecting one of the fundamental processes of the weight regulation in human body, have displayed serious side effects which outweigh their beneficial effects. Clinical and non-clinical researchers in this area are now facing a challenge to search for non-pharmacological alternatives for the prevention of obesity. Dietary interventions and life style changes with enhanced physical activity are two such options. Considering the importance of dietary interventions, the present review highlights the role, significance and potential of functional food ingredients for the management of obesity and associated co-morbidities.     

Metal–organic framework for the extraction and detection of pesticides from food commodities

Pesticide residues in food matrices, threatening the survival and development of humanity, is one of the critical challenges worldwide. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) possess excellent properties, which include excellent adsorption capacity, tailorable shape and size, hierarchical structure, numerous surface-active sites, high specific surface areas, high chemical stabilities, and ease of modification and functionalization. These promising properties render MOFs as advantageous porous materials for the extraction and detection of pesticides in food samples. This review is based on a brief introduction of MOFs and highlights recent advances in pesticide extraction and detection through MOFs. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects in this field are also described.     

Solvent assisted flavour evaporation – a new and versatile technique for the careful and direct isolation of aroma compounds from complex food matrices

 A compact and versatile distillation unit was developed for the fast and careful isolation of volatiles from complex food matrices. In connection with a high vacuum pump (5×10^–3 Pa), the new technique, designated solvent assisted flavour evaporation (SAFE), allows the isolation of volatiles from either solvent extracts, aqueous foods, such as milk or beer, aqueous food suspensions, such as fruit pulps, or even matrices with a high oil content. Application of SAFE to model solutions of selected aroma compounds resulted in higher yields from both solvent extracts or fatty matrices (50% fat) compared to previously used techniques, such as high vacuum transfer. Direct distillation of aqueous fruit pulps in combination with a stable isotope dilution analysis enabled the fast quantification (60 min including MS analysis) of compounds such as the very polar and unstable 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone in strawberries (3.2 mg/kg) and tomatoes (340 μg/kg). Furthermore, the direct distillation of aqueous foods, such as beer or orange juice, gave flavourful aqueous distillates free from non-volatile matrix compounds. Received: 4 December 1998 / Revised version: 22 January 1999     

Comparison of microbiological and HPLC – fluorescence detection methods for determination of niacin in fortified food products

A comparison has been made between results obtained by a recently published HPLC method, involving post-column reaction and fluorescence detection, with a microbiological assay using Lactobacillus plantarum. The HPLC method includes a modified acid hydrolysis extraction step (0.1 M HCl) and yields niacin values from fortified foods somewhat lower than by the microbiological assay. The most significant differences were observed for the cereal-based products. These differences arise principally from the lack of specificity of L. plantarum and from the stronger acid hydrolysis extraction conditions (1 M HCl) of the microbiological assay, which probably releases a part of the non-bioavailable niacin. Moreover by HPLC, excellent recoveries of added nicotinic acid and nicotinamide (95–100%) were obtained and better precision (RSDr=0.3–0.8%) was observed than from the micobiological assay.     

Levels and temporal trend of bisphenol A in composite food samples from Canadian Total Diet Study 2008–2012

Food composite samples from the Canadian Total Diet Study which was conducted each year from 2008 to 2012 rotating between different cities were analysed for bisphenol A (BPA). The overall levels of BPA in the composite food samples from each of the five years from 2008 to 2012 were similar in general with averages (range) of 7.7 ng/g (0.20–106 ng/g), 7.8 ng/g (0.26–110 ng/g), 6.9 ng/g (0.20–84 ng/g), 7.7 ng/g (0.20–105 ng/g) and 9.0 ng/g (0.15–90 ng/g) for 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. Levels of BPA in most of the non-canned food composite samples were low and no particular trends were observed. In contrast, the trend of BPA levels in canned food composite samples over the five years (2008–2012) varies. BPA levels in most of the canned food composite samples from 2008 to 2012 were consistent in general (e.g. canned luncheon meat: 10–18 ng/g, canned baked beans: 18–25 ng/g). While BPA levels over the five years were found to decrease for some canned food composite samples (e.g., canned fish: 109 ng/g in 2009 vs. 51 ng/g in 2012), they were also found to increase for some other canned food composite samples (e.g. canned meat soups: 90–104 ng/g in 2011–2012 vs. 29 ng/g in 2008). Thus, recent changes in can coating for food packaging to BPA-free alternatives may have not been fully reflected in all canned food products over the period from 2008 to 2012. Continued monitoring is necessary to more fully assess the potential impact on dietary exposure by the use of BPA alternatives in food contact materials.     

Olfactory priming for eating behavior – The influence of non-conscious exposure to food odors on specific appetite,food preferences and intake

Sensory food cues in our surroundings, such as odors, trigger decisions that may lead to (over)eating. These cues occur mainly outside of people’s awareness. Therefore, it is crucial to better understand the effect of (non-consciously exposure of) food odors on behavioral responses. Moreover, sensory-specific appetite suggests that food odor exposure may enhance appetite for products with similar properties in taste and calorie content, inferring that we can detect nutrient content of the food through our sense of smell. Our previous research showed that conscious exposure to macronutrient-related odors influenced specific appetite but not food preferences or intake. However, eating behavior responses may differ depending on the level of awareness of the odor cue. Therefore, in our current study, we aimed to determine the influence of non-conscious exposure to macronutrient-related odors on specific appetite, food preferences and food intake. 34 healthy, normal-weight and unrestrained Dutch females underwent four sessions where they were non-consciously exposed to odors representing food high in carbohydrates, protein and fat, and low-calorie foods. Eating behavior was assessed through a specific appetite questionnaire, a computer task on macronutrient and taste food preferences, and actual food intake by means of a salad bar which included toppings representing the different macronutrients. Results show that non-conscious exposure to macronutrient-signaling odors does not influence congruent appetite, food preferences nor food intake of a main meal. Follow-up research should focus on different odor exposure (intensity and exposure time) and outcomes measures to have a better understanding of olfactory priming on eating behavior.     

Extraction and purification of free cholesterol from some egg-containing food by on-line supercritical fluid extraction – solid-phase extraction

Two methods for the extraction and determination of free cholesterol in some egg-containing food samples were compared: the classical Soxhlet method and a supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (at 338 bar and 40vv°C) coupled on-line with solid-phase extraction (SPE with a solid trap packed with an ODS stationary phase). Egg noodles, biscuits and sweet snacks were homogenised and added to the internal standard and anhydrous sodium sulphate. Part of each sample was extracted by on-line supercritical fluid extraction - solid-phase extraction (SFE-SPE) and the remaining part was extracted by the classical method using petroleum ether. A further purification after the Soxhlet extraction was performed by SPE. Free cholesterol was determined in both the off-line Soxhlet-SPE fraction and the on-line SFE-SPE extract with capillary gas chromatography after silylation. The two extraction methods gave similar results. However, on-line SFE-SPE represents a valid alternative to the Soxhlet method because it shows important advantages, such as a short analysis time and low solvent consumption.     

Residue analyses and exposure assessment of the Irish population to nitrofuran metabolites from different food commodities in 2009–2010

An exposure assessment to nitrofuran residues was performed for three human populations (adults, teenagers and children), based on residue analyses of foods of animal origin (liver, honey, eggs and aquaculture) covering the 2-year period 2009–2010. The occurrence of nitrofuran metabolites in food on the Irish market was determined for the selected period using the data from Ireland’s National Food Residue Database (NFRD) and from results obtained from the analysis of retail samples (aquaculture and honey). Laboratory analyses of residues were performed by methods validated in accordance with Commission Decision 2002/657/EC regarding performance of the analytical method and interpretation of results. Semicarbazide (SEM) was the contaminant most frequently identified and its content ranged from 0.09 to 1.27 μg kg^?1. SEM is currently used as a marker of nitrofuran abuse, but it may also occur from other sources. The presence of nitrofuran metabolite 3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AOZ) was detected in two aquaculture samples (prawns) at 1.63 and 1.14 μg kg^?1, but such a low number of positive cases did not present sufficient data for a full AOZ exposure assessment. Therefore, the evaluation of exposure was focused on SEM-containing food groups only. Exposure assessments were completed using a probabilistic approach that generated 10 iterations. The results of both the upper- and lower-bound exposure assessments demonstrate that SEM exposure for Irish adults, teenagers and children from selected food commodities are well below EFSA-estimated safe levels.     

Potential interactions among phenolic compounds and probiotics for mutual boosting of their health-promoting properties and food functionalities – A review

Several foods are rich sources of phenolic compounds (PC) and their beneficial effects on human health may be increased through the action of probiotics. Additionally, probiotics may use PC as substrates, increasing their survival and functionality. This review presents available studies on the effects of PC on probiotics, including their physiological functionalities, interactions and capability of surviving during exposure to gastrointestinal conditions and when incorporated into food matrices. Studies have shown that PC can improve the adhesion capacity and survival of probiotics during exposure to conditions that mimic the gastrointestinal tract. There is strong evidence that PC can modulate the composition of the gut microbiota in hosts, improving a variety of biochemical markers and risk factors for chronic diseases. Available literature also indicates that metabolites of PC formed by intestinal microorganisms, including probiotics, exert a variety of benefits on host health. These metabolites are typically more active than parental dietary PC. The presence of PC commonly enhances probiotic survival in different foods. Finally, further clinical studies need to be developed to confirm in vitro and experimental findings concerning the beneficial interactions among different PC and probiotics.     

Migration analysis of epoxidized soybean oil and other plasticizers in commercial lids for food packaging by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A modification of the method of Castle et al. (J. Chromatogr. 1988: 437:274–280) for the analysis of epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO) is proposed to simplify the analysis and reduce the time and consumption of reagents. The proposed modifications, particularly the elimination of the internal standard, resulted in a simpler, faster and more economical method. A complete analytical validation, including evaluation of the main analytical parameters, such as detection and quantification limits, linearity, working range, precision, accuracy and selectivity, was carried out. The data demonstrated the suitability of the proposed method for the determination of ESBO in polymer matrices. A specific migration study for ESBO in different food simulants (fat and aqueous) was carried out by applying the method to poly(vinyl chloride) materials prepared with known amounts of ESBO, as well as some commercial lids. High levels of migration of ESBO into fat simulants were found. In the case of commercial lids, in addition to ESBO, some other plasticizers such as citrates, adipates and sebacates were found and quantified to establish their migration under different conditions of use.