Overall and specific migration from multilayer high barrier food contact materials – kinetic study of cyclic polyester oligomers migration

ABSTRACT

Most multilayer high barrier materials used in food packaging have a polyurethane adhesive layer in their structures. In order to assess the safety of these materials, it is important to determine the compounds intentionally added to the adhesives (IAS) as well as those non-intentionally added substances (NIAS). During the manufacture of polyurethane adhesives, some by-products can be formed, such as cyclic polyester oligomers coming from the reaction between dicarboxylic acids and glycols. Since these compounds are not listed in the Regulation 10/2011/EU, they should not be found in migration above 0.01 mg/kg of simulant. In this study two flexible multilayer packaging materials were used and migration was evaluated in simulant A (ethanol 10% v/v), simulant B (acetic acid 3% w/v) and simulant ethanol 95% v/v during 10 days at 60ºC. Identification and quantification of non-volatile compounds was carried out by UPLC-MS-QTOF. Most of migrants were oligomers such as cyclic polyesters and caprolactam oligomers. Overall migration and specific migration of adipic acid-diethylene glycol and phthalic acid-diethylene glycol were monitored over time and analysed by UPLC-MS-TQ. In most cases, ethanol 95% v/v was the simulant with the highest concentration values. Overall migration kinetics followed a similar pattern than specific migration kinetics.

KEYWORDS:

• Non-intentionally added substances
• cyclic polyester oligomers
• overall migration
• specific migration
• kinetics

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Projects AGL-2012-37886, AGL2015-67362-P from MINECO (Spain) and FEDER funds and Project RYC-2012-11856 (Ramón y Cajal Research Program). The authors thank the program of investigation 3387 - 562 - 38833, Colciencias – Alico S.A – Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Alimentaria (INTAL, Itagüí, Colombia).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad [AGL-2012-37886,AGL2015-67362-P,Project RYC-2012-11856 (Ramón y Cajal Research Pr];Colciencias – Alico S.A – INTAL [program of investigation 3387 - 562 - 38833].