Influence of flavour absorption by food-packaging materials (low-density polyethylene, polycarbonate and polyethylene terephthalate) on taste perception of a model solution and orange juice

The influence of flavour absorption by low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polycarbonate (PC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on taste perception of a model solution containing seven flavour compounds and orange juice in glass bottles was studied with and without pieces of the respective plastic films after dark storage at 20°C. Owing to absorption, the amount of flavour compounds in the model solution exposed to LDPE decreased substantially. From the model flavour solution valencene was almost completely absorbed by LDPE, followed to a lesser extent by decanal, hexyl acetate, octanal and nonanone. Less flavour compounds were absorbed from the model solution by PC and PET. In contrast to LDPE, valencene was absorbed in the lowest amounts and decanal in the highest. Limonene was readily absorbed from orange juice by LDPE, while myrcene, valencene, pinene and decanal were absorbed in smaller quantities. Only three flavour compounds were absorbed from orange juice by PC and PET in very small amounts: limonene, myrcene and decanal. Although the flavour content between controls and polymer-treated samples differed substantially, the loss of flavour compounds due to absorption by LDPE, PC and PET did not influence taste perception of a model solution and orange juice significantly up to 29 days of dark storage at 20°C as determined by triangular taste panel tests.