An article published on January 3, 2018, in the peer-reviewed journal Trends in Food Science & Technology, reviewed “analytical approaches for the identification of non-intentionally added substances [(NIAS)] in paper and board food contact materials” (FCMs).
Ruud Peters and colleagues from the RIKILT – Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands, summarized that NIAS in FCMs can be comprised of “reaction by-products, oligomers, degradation processes, chemical reactions between packaging materials and foodstuff, or . . . impurities from the raw materials.” In paper and board FCMs, NIAS are “mostly components from printing inks, adhesives, sizing agents and surface coatings,” and “recycled paper contains overall more NIAS than fresh [(virgin)] paper” (FPF reported).
Both targeted and untargeted analysis methods can be applied for NIAS analysis. Furthermore, “the potential toxicity of NIAS present in the mixture” can be assessed by bioassays (FPF reported), and “a combination of bioassays and chemical analysis . . . [can] . . . direct the identification of unknown bioactive NIAS in complex mixtures like those from paper and board FCM” (FPF reported).
The authors noted that “future research is required into the selection of bioassays since these should not only be sensitive enough for detecting all compounds of concern but should also have a relevance with human health” (FPF reported).
Reference
Peters, R.J.B., et al. (2019). “Review of analytical approaches for the identification of non-intentionally added substances in paper and board food contact materials.” Trends in Food Science & Technology (published January 3, 2019).
