Migration from printing inks in multilayer food packaging materials by GC-MS analysis and pattern recognition with chemometrics

ABSTRACT

Inks and varnishes used in food packaging multilayer materials can contain different substances that are potential migrants when packaging is in contact with food. Although printing inks are applied on the external layer, they can migrate due to set-off phenomena. In order to assess food safety, migration tests were performed from two materials sets: set A based on paper and set B based on PET; both contained inks. Migration was performed to four food simulants (EtOH 50%, isooctane, EtOH 95% and Tenax^®) and the volatile compounds profile was analysed by GC-MS. The effect of presence/absence of inks and varnishes and also their position in the material was studied. A total of 149 volatile compounds were found in migration from set A and 156 from set B materials, some of them came from inks. Quantitative analysis and a principal component analysis were performed in order to identify patterns among sample groups.

KEYWORDS:

• Inks
• food packaging materials
• migration
• set-off
• volatile compounds
• gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was financed by the project SAFEMTECH [GA 251382; IAPP Marie Curie Actions 2011–2014, 7th FP], Project AGL2012-37886 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity, University of Zaragoza [PIFUZ-2012-B-CIE-001] within the scope of 2012/0254 REPSOL lubricantes y especialidades (Rylesa), and the project RYC-2012-11856 (Ramon y Cajal programme). Thanks also to the Gobierno de Aragón and Fondo Social Europeo for financial help of Group GUIA, T-10.