Evaluation of the migration of 15 photo-initiators from cardboard packaging into Tenax®using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS)

Dietary risk assessment of benzophenone derivatives using bread consumption estimates in a Taiwanese population

Listed as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, benzophenone (BP) and its nine analogues (BPs) are an emerging group of contaminants. The migration of BPs from ultraviolet inks to food has been investigated in many studies; however, few studies have investigated BPs in foods and the risks of human exposure to BPs. We validated a trace and multi-residue method for simultaneously determining 10 BPs, including BP, BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, BP-8, 4-MBP, 2-OHBP, 4-OHBP, M2BB, and PBZ. Eighty-one bread samples were analyzed using stable isotope labeling and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry with solid-liquid extraction. We determined the estimated daily intake of BPs, non-cancer risks, and lifetime cancer risks (LTCRs) from daily bread consumption for seven age groups using a Monte Carlo simulation. The method demonstrated robust linearity (R2 ≥ 0.991), low limits of detection (0.04-2 ng/g), and satisfactory precision. The intra- and interday relative standard deviation ranges were 0.6%-9% and 3%-20%, respectively. BP, 4-MBP, 2-OHBP, BP-1, and BP-3 were detected in 97%, 67%, 59%, 24%, and 23% of the samples, respectively. 2-OHBP had the highest mean (range) value of 18.3 ( Collapse

Key Words

• Benzophenone and its analogues
• Bread
• Emerging contaminants
• Monte Carlo simulation
• Risks

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MESH Headings

• Humans
• Bread/analysis
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
• Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods
• Risk Assessment
• Benzophenones/analysis

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Affiliation(s)

Hsin-Chang Chen Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
Chung-Jung Tsai Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan City, Taiwan
Yu-Fang Huang Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chen-Ting Wu Institute of Food Safety and Health Risk Assessment, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan

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Current approaches and challenges of sample preparation procedures for the safety assessment of paper and cardboard food contact materials: A comprehensive review

In the European Union (EU), Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 provides a harmonized legal EU framework and sets out the general principles for safety and inertness for all Food Contact Materials (FCMs) and Food Contact Articles. From a food safety point of view, however, specific EU legislation for paper and cardboard FCMs is lacking, while at Member State level, national legislation differs among countries. More than 11,000 chemicals have been identified in all types of FCMs, most of them without any information on toxicity or migration potential from FCM to food. The present review shows a wide variability of protocols, approaches, and conditions used in scientific studies, which are difficult to compare. In this regard, procedures and conditions laid down in EU legislation for plastics and European Standards (EN protocols) may serve as a good basis for the future sample preparation procedures in the framework of paper and cardboard FCMs safety assessment. Challenges on sample preparation procedures are presented involving the interlinked steps of sample preparation, conditions used and their impact in chemical analysis and in vitro bioassay testing. Currently, there is no general consensus on the criteria for structuring, evaluating, and tuning sample preparation procedures for paper and cardboard FCMs. For this purpose, a set of modified criteria and a decision tree are proposed based on the literature. Along this, mass transfer processes occurring in paper and cardboard FCMs and parameters affecting chemical migration need to be accounted for prior to reaching general consensus on criteria for sample preparation procedures.

Development and Validation of Benzophenone Derivatives in Packaged Cereal-Based Foods by Solid-Liquid Extraction and Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

We established and validated a sensitive multi-residue analytical method for identifying benzophenone (BP) and nine BP derivatives (2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone [BP-1], 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxydroxybenzophenone, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzophenone, 2,2′-dihydroxy 4-methoxy benzophenone, 2-hydroxybenzophenone [2-OHBP], 4-hydroxybenzophenone, 4-methylbenzophenone [4-MBP], methyl-2-benzoylbenzoate, and 4-benzoylbiphenyl). Solid−liquid extraction pretreatment and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC−MS/MS) were employed in an analysis of 85 packaged cereal-based food samples (25 pastry, 50 rice, and 10 noodle samples). The method had satisfactory linearity (R2 ≥ 0.995), low limits of detection (pastry: 0.02−4.2 ng/g; rice and noodle: 0.02−2 ng/g), and favorable precision, with within-run and between-run coefficient of variation ranges of 1−29% and 1−28%, respectively. BP and 4-MBP were detected in 100% of the pastry samples, and BP-1 and 2-OHBP were found in 76% and 56% of the pastry samples, respectively. BP and 2-OHBP were found in 92% and 38% of the rice samples, respectively. BP was found in 50% of the noodle samples. BP contributed the most to the total level of BPs in pastries, with significantly higher mean ± standard deviation (range) levels for pastries (26.8 ± 32.6 [1.8−115.4] ng/g) than rice (1.2 ± 2.0 [0.4−13.4] ng/g) and noodles (0.7 ± 0.7 [0.4−1.9] ng/g); p < 0.0001). The trace levels of 4-MBP identified in the samples demonstrate the need for the development of analytical methods with high sensitivity and specificity; the proposed method satisfies this need.

Recycling of Post-Consumer Packaging Materials into New Food Packaging Applications—Critical Review of the European Approach and Future Perspectives

The European strategy for plastics, as part of the EU’s circular economy action plan, should support the reduction in plastic waste. One key element in this action plan is the improvement of the economics and quality of recycled plastics. In addition, an important goal is that by 2030, all plastics packaging placed on the EU market must either be reusable or can be recycled in a cost-effective manner. This means that, at the end, a closed-loop recycling of food packaging materials should be established. However, the use of recyclates must not result in less severe preventive consumer protection of food packaging materials. This may lead to a conservative evaluation of authorities on post-consumer recyclates in food packaging applications. On the other hand, over-conservatism might over-protect the consumer and generate insurmountable barriers to the application of post-consumer recyclates for food packaging and, hence, counteract the targets of circular economy. The objective of this review is to provide an insight into the evaluation of post-consumer recyclates applied in direct contact to food. Safety assessment criteria as developed by the European Food Safety Authority EFSA will be presented, explained, and critically discussed.

Migration of food contact substances into dry foods: A review

A comprehensive review of the literature was performed on migration of substances from packaging materials into dry foods, specifically those with surfaces containing no free fats or oils. Historically, migration from food packaging to dry foods has been assumed to be minimal. However, several recent publications have reported concentrations of migrants into dry foods that are substantially higher than anticipated. The goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of recent studies that examined migration to dry foods or dry food simulants, observe and assess common migrants, and report the highest migration values. Focusing on the packaging materials and migrants that exhibit the highest migration values, this review divided the studies into two categories: 1) analysis of food products in commercial packaging taken directly from grocery store shelves, and 2) analysis of food products and food simulants in contact with packaging or other material fortified with known quantities of a migrant. Discussions include the examination of migration testing methods, viability of different food simulants, and variables that affect migration behaviour. These include the physicochemical properties of both the migrant and food (i.e. volatility, molecular size, structure, food composition and particle size) and factors pertaining to the packaging material and the environment (i.e. temperature, humidity, and the presence of a secondary barrier). Information gaps and remaining questions are also identified and discussed.

Project SafeFoodPack Design: case study on indirect migration from paper and boards

Migration due to indirect contact with packaging caused several major sanitary crises, including the spread contamination of dry food by mineral oils and printing ink constituents from cardboard. The issues are still not fully resolved because the mechanisms have been insufficiently described and the relationship between design, contamination level, type of contaminant, and conditions of storage (time and temperature) are poorly understood. This study proposes a forensic analysis of these phenomena when food is separated from cardboard by a plastic layer. Practical relationships and advanced simulation scenarios were devised and validated against the long-term migration between 20 and 60°C of 15 substances. They were chosen to be representative of the main contaminants of cardboard: aliphatic and aromatic mineral oils, photo-initiators and plasticisers. Data were summarised as iso-contamination curves and iso-contamination times up to 2 years. Simple rules are illustrated to extrapolate the results to arbitrary conditions in order to identify critical substances and to estimate the plastic film's thickness to keep the contamination within acceptable limits. Recommendations for the risk management of contamination routes without contact are finally drafted.

Determination of photoinitiator 4-methylbenzophenone in milk by cloud point extraction

An efficient and easy sample pretreatment methodology was proposed for the detection of photoinitiator 4-methylbenzophenone from milk before high-performance liquid chromatography. Appropriate conditions for demulsification were studied. The parameters affecting cloud point extraction, such as concentration of Tween-20, electrolyte salt, equilibration temperature, and time, have been investigated. When the spiked level was 200-1000 μg/kg, the average addition standard recovery was 99.14-105.98% with the optimum cloud point extraction conditions (concentration of Tween-20, 138 g/L; mass of anhydrous sodium sulfate, 0.75 g; equilibration temperature, 65°C; equilibration time, 30 min). To decrease the detection limits, further work about the organic solvent, shaking time, and ultrasonic parameters was carried. When the spiked level was 10-100 μg/kg, the average addition standard recovery was 70.40-106.91% with the optimum cloud point extraction and enrichment conditions (optimum cloud point extraction conditions; volume of cyclohexane, 30 mL; shaking time, 20 min; time of ultrasonic, 20 min; temperature of ultrasonic bath, 45°C).

Observation of Emerging Photoinitiator Additives in Household Environment and Sewage Sludge in China

Photoinitiators (PIs) are widely used additives in industrial polymerization process, the contamination of which through migration into foodstuffs has been subjected to increasing public scrutiny. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the PI residue levels and potential exposure pathways from other environmental compartments. In the present study, the occurrence of PI additives with discrete molecular structures, that is, nine benzophenones (BZPs), four thioxanthones (TXs), and eight amine co-initiators (ACIs), was investigated in commercial products, indoor dust and sewage sludge samples. Nine PI compounds were positively detected in ultraviolet curable resins with concentrations of ∑PIs (sum of the detected PIs) up to 2.51 × 10(4) ng/g, and 20 PIs can be found in food contact materials with concentrations of ∑PIs varying from 65.9 to 6.93 × 10(3) ng/g. The wide usage of PIs in commercial products led to the occurrence of 19 PIs in indoor dust, with concentrations of ∑PIs in the range of 245-5.68 × 10(3) ng/g. Meanwhile, all 21 targeted PIs could be identified in the sewage sludge, with concentrations from 67.6 to 2.03 × 10(3) ng/g. Distinct PI composition profiles were observed in different investigated compartments, and BZPs were the dominant homologues in all samples. Most of the target PIs were further identified as class III chemicals by toxic hazard estimation algorithm (Toxtree), which indicates the compounds might be of significant toxicity or have reactive functional groups.