ENFORCEMENT OF FOOD-PACKAGING LEGISLATION

A survey of the results of the analysis of samples of packaging materi als, obtained from the Dutch market during the last 5 years is present ed The diethylether extracts of food contact polymers were analysed by GC-MS according to the Dutch testing system. Lists of the identified constituents in the extracts of polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinylchlor ide (PVC) are given. More than 50 constituents were identified in the more than 1000 samples investigated. An estimation of the quantities o f the extracted constituents has been made. In PVC the following compo unds were present in relatively large quantities (10 times the height of the internal standards). diethylhexyladipate, dinonylphthalate, and other phthalates. However 68% of the extracts contained no peaks high er than the internal standards.