Over 10,000 chemicals are intentionally used in the manufacturing of food contact materials (FCMs). For many of these chemicals, information on their identity, potential migration into foods, and effects on human health is lacking. Identification of chemicals migrating from FCMs is a complex analytical challenge because of lack of public information on the substances used in manufacturing of FCMs, limited spectral databases for their identification, and unavailability of authentic analytical standards for their unambiguous identification. Non-targeted analysis with high-resolution accurate mass is advantageous to meet this challenge. The goal of this study was to investigate migration of chemicals from paper and plastic FCMs. Identification of migrated chemicals was performed with gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC) with Orbitrap mass spectrometry (MS) to identify a wide range of migrated chemicals with high confidence based on high resolution accurate mass measurement. Samples of paper-based FCMs (pizza boxes, butcher paper, liquid egg containers) and plastic FCMs (stretch film, storage bags, oven bags, meat trays and microwavable meals trays) of different brands were collected around the Philadelphia, PA area. Migration experiments were performed following the US FDA migration protocols regulating the length of migration, temperature, volume-to-specimen ratios and food simulants based on food packaging type and use. Migrated chemicals were identified with mass error &lt;5 ppm using existing mass spectral libraries and databases (NIST MS library, ChemSpider, Extractable and Leachable high-resolution accurate mass database). Most of the identified migrants were associated with substances used in production of FCMs, <i>i.e.</i> common plastic additives, siloxanes, hydrocarbons, <i>etc.</i> However, other migrated chemicals were products and derivatives of commonly used food contact substances, and some were reported for the first time. Examples of identification and identified migrants will be presented. These findings are important to inform decision-makers of migrating chemicals to improve the safety of packaged food.

Screening and identification of chemicals migrating from paper and plastic food contact materials

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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