Food contact materials

Significance of the topic

Food contact materials play a central role in the modern food chain from production to consumption. Migration of chemical substances and metals from packaging and cookware into foods can affect safety and sensory quality. Regulatory frameworks in the EU, USA, and Japan set positive lists, specific migration limits, and good manufacturing practices to control exposure. Continuous innovation in materials, including recyclates, active and intelligent packaging, and nanomaterials, adds complexity and drives the need for robust analytical methods.

Objectives and overview of the study

This review examines legislation and analytical strategies for identifying packaging materials and quantifying migration. It covers regulatory requirements in key jurisdictions, classification of material types, sources and diversity of migrants, and the role of reference and alert systems. The paper presents targeted and non-targeted analytical approaches to monitor monomers, additives, transformation products, mineral oils, trace elements, and nanoparticles migrating into food simulants and real foods.

Methodology and instrumentation

Key techniques include material identification by FTIR microscopy, additive screening by DART-MS, exhaustive extraction via accelerated solvent extraction, and separation of mineral oils by LC-GC-FID. Migration testing uses headspace GC-MS for volatile monomers, GC-FID/MS for plasticizers and mineral hydrocarbons, HPLC and LC-MS/MS for intermediate to non-volatile migrants such as BPA, phthalates, photoinitiators, and epoxides, and Orbitrap high-resolution MS for non-targeted analysis. Elemental leaching is measured by AAS and ICP-MS, and nanoparticle number and size by single-particle ICP-MS.

Main results and discussion

FTIR reliably identifies polymer types and film laminates to guide targeted analysis. DART-MS enables rapid surface screening of additives and ink contaminants. ASE provides efficient isolation of additives and NIAS from plastics. Static and SPME headspace GC-MS quantify volatile monomers and residual catalysts. GC-FID/MS and LC-MS/MS methods deliver sensitive quantification of plasticizers, antioxidants, and photoinitiators in foods. GC-Orbitrap MS detects novel non-listed compounds in coatings. LC-GC-FID resolves MOSH and MOAH migration from recycled board. AAS and ICP-MS assess heavy-metal leaching from ceramics and metalware. SP-ICP-MS measures engineered nanoparticle release from polymer articles.

Benefits and practical applications of the methods

The integrated analytical toolbox supports regulatory compliance, risk assessment, and quality control in food packaging production. Targeted methods verify positive-list substances at regulated limits, while high-resolution and non-targeted workflows identify emerging NIAS. Rapid screening by DART-MS and FTIR accelerates investigation of market alerts. LC-GC-FID and multi-element ICP-MS address complex matrices. These capabilities enable authorities and industry to ensure consumer safety and react swiftly to contamination events.

Future trends and applications

Advances in non-targeted Orbitrap workflows, migration modeling software, and expanded reference databases will improve risk assessment of unknown migrants. Growing use of active, intelligent, and nanomaterial-based packaging demands method development for novel functional additives and nanoparticle detection. Harmonized global regulations and standardized methods for paper, inks, and recyclates will strengthen surveillance. Integration of quantitative structure–activity relationships and in silico approaches may streamline toxicological prioritization of NIAS.

Conclusion

A comprehensive analytical strategy combining material identification, targeted quantification, and non-targeted screening is essential to meet evolving regulatory and safety challenges in food contact materials. Continued innovation in instrumentation and methodology will drive improved monitoring of both regulated and unexpected migrants, safeguarding food safety and supporting sustainable packaging innovations.

References

• Barnes KA, Sinclair R, Watson DH. Chemical Migration and Food Contact Materials. Woodhead Publishing Ltd and CRC Press; 2007.
• Arvanitoyannis IS, Kotsanopoulos KV. Migration Phenomenon in Food Packaging. Food–Package Interactions, Mechanisms, Types of Migrants, Testing and Relative Legislation—A Review. Food Bioprocess Technol. 2014;7:21–36.
• Bignardi C, et al. Targeted and untargeted data-dependent experiments for characterization of polycarbonate food contact plastics by ultrahigh performance chromatography coupled to quadrupole Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A. 2014;1372:133–144.
• Lago J, Ackerman A. Identification of print-related contaminants in food packaging materials. Food Addit Contam Part A. 2016;33:518–529.
• Lorenzini E, et al. Saturated and aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons from paperboard food packaging: long-term migration estimation and market survey. Food Addit Contam Part A. 2014;27:1765–1774.
• Leeman WR, Krul CAM. Non-intentionally added substances in food contact materials: how to ensure consumer safety. Curr Opin Food Sci. 2015;6:33–37.
• Nerin C, et al. The challenge of identifying non-intentionally added substances from food packaging materials: A review. Anal Chim Acta. 2013;775:14–24.
• Paseiro-Cerrato R, et al. Rapid screening for primary aromatic amines in kitchen utensils using DART-MS. Food Addit Contam Part A. 2014;31:537–545.
• Sanchis J, et al. Analytical strategies for organic food packaging contaminants. J Chromatogr A. 2017;1490:22–46.
• Vavrous V, et al. Analysis of 68 organic contaminants in food contact paper by GC and LC tandem MS. Food Control. 2016;60:221–229.
• Jia W, et al. Phthalates in milk products by LC-Orbitrap high-resolution MS. J Chromatogr A. 2014;1362:110–118.