sign in sign up
<<
Home , Food packaging

science & technology

Paper packaging materials and safety

Ph. D. Janina Leks-Stepien

Packaging should be adjusted to the features of a specific product. Choosing relevant packaging ma- terials is a complex issue due to a huge variety of products, packaging materials and systems. Natural materials used for packaging production, such as and board, pose little risk to the environment or human health. However, operations requiring converting and functional properties, for example , may lead to contamination of packed products. The easiest and the only effective method to protect products against negative impacts resulting from the migration of substances from packaging is the use of properly selected materials.

Today packaging has become an integral part of fective method to protect the product against the product, on many occasions even more im- negative impacts resulting from migration of portant than the content. According to the def- substances from packaging is to use appropriate inition for the purpose of Directive 94/62/EC materials that are sensory neutral for printing. packaging means all products made of any ma- The use of just one element which does not meet terials of any nature to be used for the contain- neutrality requirements may endanger the pack- ment, protection, handling, delivery and presen- aging protection function. Printing substrates tation of goods, from raw materials to processed have to be sensory neutral both before and af- goods, and from the producer to the user or the ter being printed. This is why it is extremely im- consumer [1]. Paper and board have been used portant to test substances released from packag- as the most important packaging materials for ing prior to its usage. Since obligations for pack- years. The production of packaging paper and aging compliance with legal requirements lie Figure 1: Potential sources of migrating substances board grades in the European Union is around with packaging manufacturers and operators in- 30 million tons per year. It is estimated that half troducing the product to the market, expected of that volume comes into contact with food. and compliance can be guaranteed only amounts of heavy metals, constituents of print- packed product. The test results on migration of Awareness of possible risks as well as technolog- by strict supervision of the entire manufactur- ing inks, sizing agents and [2-19]. A mi- printing ink constituents show that rejection of ical progress contributed to the fact that quali- ing process and its components. Interactions be- gration ratio of the substances to the food de- the printed packaging material as a result of mi- ty requirements for food packaging have become tween packaging material and food do not in- pends significantly on paper grade, content gration does not have to be connected only with stricter. Consumer expectations for packaged volve only a group of chemical and/or physical in the food, chemical character and volatility of of migrating substances, it may result food include aspects such as health, safety, rea- reactions. An extremely important aspect is the migrating substances. For example, a consider- from changes in sensory properties of the prod- sonable price, convenience, extended effect of packaging surroundings, which in unfa- able migration level of organic contaminants is uct. In the of some constituents of printing and environmental friendliness. It is possible to vourable conditions may change its composition, observed in case of foodstuffs with high fat con- inks, particularly solvents such as alkylbenzene, meet those requirements only through the right quality or physical properties of the packed prod- tent. Additionally, the migration of contaminants oils, or adipate, only a small amount of packaging, that – apart from protection during uct or packaging itself. to food is tightly connected with testing condi- migrating substance may cause changes in the transport and storage – has to protect the prod- The results of safety tests carried out on pa- tions, i.e. and time [12,13]. product, noticeable for sensitive senses of smell uct against spoiling, transmit information to con- per products used as food packaging indicate Over 90% of all manufactured foodstuffs and and taste. sumers, and be easy to use as well as play an that made from virgin fibres are charac- stimulants are sold in printed packaging that of- In the case of UV inks for printing packaging advertising role. terized by low penetration of chemical substanc- ten is refined, varnished, embossed or laminat- intended to come into contact with food, par- Packaging has become a necessary element of es to the packed product, whereas in the case of ed. With regards to assessment of packaging ticular attention should be paid to photoinitia- the food production process. At different stag- recycled paper grades the contamination risk is safety, the role of printing inks is difficult to de- tors [20-22]. The most popular photoinitiator is es of converting, preparing and storing, chemical very high. To obtain required converting proper- fine due to a small number of substances identi- benzophenone. Numerous tests show its pres- substances may migrate to the food (Fig. 1). If ties, packaging made from virgin fibres is usu- fied in the tests for specific migration. The risk of ence in foodstuffs packed in printed packaging. packaging is made from wrong materials it may ally refined using various sizing, dyeing agents food contamination with constituents of printing It was found that if there is no direct contact be- pose a risk to the packed product, thus to human and varnishes. Those substances have less ef- inks from printed packaging can have two ori- tween food and packaging when a packed prod- health [2,3]. When the materials are discussed, fect on the packed product than the packaging gins: transfer through packaging material or oc- uct is stored at low , the migra- printing substrates, inks, varnishes and all the made from recovered fibres. The main contam- currence of invisible reflection. This means that tion rate of benzophenone to food is reduced auxiliaries used in the printing process have to inants from recovered fibres are aldehydes, al- components of printing inks migrate to the un- six times. Meeting both conditions at the same be taken into account. The easiest and only ef- kanes, ketones, phthalates, hydrocarbons, trace printed side of packaging that has contact with a time reduces the migration ratio forty times [5].

48 49 science & technology

The group of potential contaminants from pa- Acknowledgment 11. Fukuzawa H., Watanabe M., Shiraishi F., Vol.14, No1, (1997) 45-52 per include 1,2-benzisothiazoline-3-one (BIT); This research was financially supported by the Shiraishi H., Shiozawa T., Matsushita H., 21. Papilloud S., Baudraz D.: Analysis of food 2-(thiocyanomethylthio) benzothiazole (TCMTBT); Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education Tearo Y.: Formation of chlorinated derivatives packaging UV inks for chemicals with poten- 2,4,5,6-tetrachloro-isophthalonitrile (TPN); 2,4,6- as a part of Research Project No. NN 508441436 of bisfenol A in waste paper plants tial to migrate into food simulants, Food Ad- trichlorophenol (TCP); pentachlorophenol (PCP); and their estrogenic activities, J. Health Sci. dit. Contam. 19, 2,168-175 (2002) 4,4'-bis (dimethylamino)-benzophenone; 4,4'-bis Literature Vol.48, No.3 (2002) 242-249 22. Papilloud S., Baudraz D.: Migration tests for (diethylamino)benzophenone; 4-(dimethylamino) 1. Directive 94/62/EC of 20 December 1994 12. Kitchin K., Brown J.: Dose response relation- substrates printed with UV ink systems in benzophenone (DMAB) and (BPA), on packaging and (Official ship for rat liver DNA damage caused by 49 aqueous simulants, Prog.Org. Coat. 45, 231- which in chlorinated form (BPAs) may be found Journal of the European Communities No. L rodent , Toxicol., Vol.88, No.1-3 237 (2002) in effluent from wastepaper processing plants 365/10 of 31 December 1994) (1994) 31-49 23. Eriksson K., Wiklund L., Larsson C.: Dermal [15-17]. The slimicides may also be a source of 2. Pocas M., Hogg T.: Exposure assessment of 13. Lau W., Wong S.: Contamination in food exposure to terpenic resin acids in Swedish contamination in recycled papers. A detection chemicals from packaging materials in food: from packaging material, J. Chromatogr. A, carpentry workshops and sawmills, Ann. Oc- level of substances (BIT) – which a review, Trends Food Sci. Technol. 18, (2007) No.882 (2000) 255-270 cup. Hyg. 48, 3, 267-275 (2004) are used not only as slimicides but also as fun- 219-230 14. Ozaki A., Yamaguchi Y., Fujita T., Kuroda K., gicides in printing inks, coatings and 3. Baba T., Kitano M., Kuroda K.: Toxicity of pa- Endo G.: Chemical analysis and genotoxico- (first received: 05.10.2010) – does not depend on how the paper is made. per products detected by rec-assay. Annual logical safety assessment of paper and pa- BIT is detected both in virgin fibre-based papers Report of Osaka City Institute of Public Health perboard used for food packaging, Food and recycled grades regardless of whether pa- and Environmental Sciences 60, (1998) 18-23 Chem. Toxicol. Vol.42, No.8 (2004) 1323- per is printed or not. It means that BIT used as 4. Binderup M., Pedersen G., Vinggaard A., Ras- 1337 a slimicide remains in paper in trace amounts. mussen E., Rosenquist H., Cederberg T. Toxi- 15. Triantafyllou V., Akrida-Demertzi K., De- Pentachlorophenol is used for wood conserva- ty testing and chemical analyses of recycled fi- mertzis P.: A study on the migration of or- tion, therefore if the conserved wood or slimi- bre-based paper for food contact, Food Addit. ganic pollutants from recycled cides containing this substance are used in pa- Contam. Vol. 19, No. 1, (2002) 13-28 packaging materials to solid food, Food per production there is a risk of contamination of 5. Ozaki A., Yamaguchi Y., Fujita T., Kuroda K., Chem. Vol.101, No.4 (2007) 1759-1768 packed food [23]. Despite the fact that special- Endo G.: Safety assessment of paper and 16. Triantafyllou V., Arkida-Demertzi K., Demer- ist literature contains some information on tox- board food packaging: chemical analysis and tis P.: Determination of partition behaviour ic substances occurring in recycled papers, the genotoxicity of possible contaminants in pack- of organic surrogates between paperboard majority of test results show that many poten- aging, Food Addit. Contam. Vol. 22, No. 10, packaging and air, J. Chromatogr. Vol.1077, tial contaminants are efficiently removed during (2005) 1053-1060 No.1 (2005) 74-79 Ph. D. Janina processing. 6. Ciepliński M.: Ocena jakości zdrowotnej 17. Triantafyllou V., Arkida-Demertzi K., Demer- Leks-Stepien papierów i tektur przeznaczonych do kontak- tis P.: Migration studies from recycled paper Technical University Summary tu z żywnością, Przegl. Papiern. Vol. 63, No. 7 packaging materials: development of an an- of Lodz, Institute of Natural materials used for packaging production, (2007) 471-474 alytical method for rapid testing Anal. Chim. and Printing, such as paper and board, pose little risk to the 7. Rybak K.: Metody badań migracji specyficznej Acta 467 (2002) 253-260 116 Zeromskiego environment or human health. However, opera- w świetle wymagań dyrektyw Unii Europe- 18. Sarria-Vidal M., Montana-Miguelez J., Simal- Street, 90-924 Lodz, tions requiring converting and functional proper- jskiej i polskiego systemu wymagań zdrowot- Gandara J.: Toward a test of overall migra- Poland ties may lead to contamination of packed prod- nych, Opakowanie 9, 16-18 (2002) tion from the coated face of a recycled pa- janina.leks-stepien@ ucts. The easiest and the only effective meth- 8. Anderson W., Castle L.: Benzophenone in car- perboard food contact material into fatty p.lodz.pl od to protect the product against negative im- tonboard packaging materials and the factors food simulants, J. Agric.Food Chem. Vol. 47, pacts resulting from migration of substances that influence its migration into food, Food No. 7 (1997) 2701-2707 from packaging is the use of properly selected Addit. Contam. Vol.20, No.6 (2003) 607-618 19. Parry S., Aston D.: Migration of inorgan- materials. This is why it is extremely important to 9. Castle L.: Surveillance results on residues in ic contaminants into dry food from packag- test substances released from packaging prior to paper and board. Paper in contact with food- ing made from recycled paper and board, its usage. Since obligation for packaging com- stuffs, Pira Conference, Edinburgh (1999) Food Addit. Contam, Vol. 21, No. 5 (2004) pliance with legal requirements lies with pack- 10. Fukuzawa H., Hoshino K., Shiozawa T., 506-511 aging manufacturers and operators introducing Matsushita H., Tearo Y.: Identification and 20. Castle L., Damant A., Honeybone C., Johns the product to the market, expected quality and quantification of chlorinated bisphenol A S., Jickells S., Sharman M., Gilbert J.: Mi- compliance can be guaranteed only by strict su- in wastewater from wastepaper recycling gration studies from paper and board food pervision of the entire manufacturing process plants, Chemosphere Vol.44, No.5 (2001) packaging materials. Part 2. Survey for resi- and its components. 973-979 dues of dialkylaminobenzophenone UV-cure ink photoinitiators, Food Addit. Contam.

50 51