L. Castle et al., MIGRATION STUDIES FROM PAPER AND BOARD FOOD-PACKAGING MATERIALS .1. COMPOSITIONAL ANALYSIS, Food additives and contaminants, 14(1), 1997, pp. 35-44
A survey of 32 paper and board materials intended for food contact has
been undertaken. Sample composition was analysed to identify chemical
s with a potential to migrate to foods. Representative materials cover
ing a range of uses such as aqueous and fatty foods, and use at ambien
t and elevated temperatures, were obtained from industry. The samples
were examined in their unfinished state, even where the final form wou
ld have included lamination to plastics, printing, or other treatments
. A comprehensive and systematic analytical approach was applied which
included determination of volatiles by headspace GC-MS, extraction us
ing water, ethanol and chloroform with subsequent analysis by GC-MS an
d HPLC, and multi-element screening by ICP-MS. The solvent extracts we
re also weighed to determine the total amount of material available fo
r migration. A large number of volatile substances were identified wit
h alkyl and aryl aldehydes predominating in the majority of samples. S
ubstances identified in solvent extracts included 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-
hydroxytoluene (BHT), di-tert-butylphenol, benzophenone, 4,4'-bis(dime
thyl amino)benzophenone (Michler's ketone), triphenyl methane, bicyclo
hexylphenylphenanthrene carboxylic acid (and ifs methyl ester) and abi
etic acid. Levels of these substances were however generally below 1 m
g/kg paper. Of the inorganic elements, arsenic and mercury were not de
tected above the limits of determination of 1.8 and 0.4 mg/kg respecti
vely in any of the 10 samples examined. Cadmium was detected in teabag
tissue and in unbleached Kraft paper at 0.3 mg/kg. Chromium was prese
nt in seven samples at 1.1-7.8 mg/kg, whilst lead was present in nine
of the 10 samples at levels ranging from 0.3 to 5.9 mg/kg.