title: Influence of oxygen and long term storage on the profile of volatile compounds released from polymeric multilayer food contact materials sterilized by gamma irradiation.
abstract: The profile of volatile compounds released from 13 different multilayer polymeric materials for food use, before and after their exposure to gamma radiation, has been assessed by solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Thermosealed bags of different materials were filled with either air or nitrogen to evaluate the oxygen influence. One-third of the samples were analyzed without irradiation, whereas the rest were irradiated at 15 and 25 kGy. Half of the samples were processed just after preparation and the other half was stored for 8 months at room temperature prior to analysis. Very significant differences between unirradiated and irradiated bags were found. About 60-80 compounds were released and identified per sample. A huge peak of 1,3-ditertbutylbenzene was present in most of the irradiated samples. An outstanding reproducibility in all the variables evaluated (chromatograms, oxygen percentage, volume of bags) was noticed. Independently of filling gas, the results of unirradiated materials were almost identical. In contrast, the chromatographic profile and the odor of irradiated bags filled with nitrogen were completely different to those filled with air. Principal component analysis was performed and 86.9% of the accumulated variance was explained with the first two components. The migration of compounds from irradiated materials to the vapor phase was much lower than the limits established in the Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011.
authors.affiliation: Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), EINA, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Zaragoza, María de Luna 3 (Torres Quevedo Bldg.), 50018 Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: fjsl@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salafranca
authors.affiliation: Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), EINA, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Zaragoza, María de Luna 3 (Torres Quevedo Bldg.), 50018 Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: isabelclemente1984@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Clemente
authors.affiliation: Goglio S.p.A. Packaging Division, Via dell'Industria 7, 21020 Daverio (VA), Italy. Electronic address: Francesca.Isella@goglio.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Isella
authors.affiliation: Aragón Institute of Engineering Research (I3A), EINA, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Zaragoza, María de Luna 3 (Torres Quevedo Bldg.), 50018 Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: cnerin@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nerín
authors.affiliation: Goglio S.p.A. Packaging Division, Via dell'Industria 7, 21020 Daverio (VA), Italy. Electronic address: Osvaldo.Bosetti@goglio.it.
authors.forename: Osvaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bosetti
mesh_terms: D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods; D005720:Gamma Rays; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D011108:Polymers; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; C030181:1,4-di-tert-butylbenzene; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Gamma radiation; Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; Multilayer food packaging; Non-intentionally added substances; Solid-phase microextraction; Volatile compounds