title: Assessment of the migration potential of nanosilver from nanoparticle-coated low-density polyethylene food packaging into food simulants.
abstract: An experimental nanosilver-coated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) food packaging was incubated with food simulants using a conventional oven and tested for migration according to European Commission Regulation No. 10/2011. The commercial LDPE films were coated using a layer-by-layer (LbL) technique and three levels of silver (Ag) precursor concentration (0.5%, 2% and 5% silver nitrate (AgNO3), respectively) were used to attach antimicrobial Ag. The experimental migration study conditions (time, temperature and food simulant) under conventional oven heating (10 days at 60°C, 2 h at 70°C, 2 h at 60°C or 10 days at 70°C) were chosen to simulate the worst-case storage period of over 6 months. In addition, migration was quantified under microwave heating. The total Ag migrant levels in the food simulants were quantified by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Mean migration levels obtained by ICP-AES for oven heating were in the range 0.01-1.75 mg l(-1). Migration observed for microwave heating was found to be significantly higher when compared with oven heating for similar temperatures (100°C) and identical exposure times (2 min). In each of the packaging materials and food simulants tested, the presence of nanoparticles (NPs) was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On inspection of the migration observed under conventional oven heating, an important finding was the significant reduction in migration resulting from the increased Ag precursor concentration used to attach Ag on the LDPE LbL-coated films. This observation merits further investigation into the LbL coating process used, as it suggests potential for process modifications to reduce migration. In turn, any reduction in NP migration below regulatory limits could greatly support the antimicrobial silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-LDPE LbL-coated films being used as a food packaging material.
authors.affiliation: a School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, Agriculture and Food Science Centre , University College Dublin , Belfield , Dublin 4 , Ireland.
authors.forename: Joseph Christopher
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hannon
authors.affiliation: b School of Food & Nutritional Sciences, Food Packaging Group , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland.
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kerry
authors.affiliation: b School of Food & Nutritional Sciences, Food Packaging Group , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland.
authors.forename: Malco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cruz-Romero
authors.affiliation: b School of Food & Nutritional Sciences, Food Packaging Group , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland.|c School of Food Science and Technology , Universiti Malaysia Terengganu , Kuala Terengganu , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Shafrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azlin-Hasim
authors.affiliation: d Department of Chemistry , University College Cork , Cork , Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: a School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, Agriculture and Food Science Centre , University College Dublin , Belfield , Dublin 4 , Ireland.
authors.forename: Enda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cummins
mesh_terms: D003296:Cooking; D005504:Food Analysis; D005511:Food Handling; D018857:Food Packaging; D006361:Heating; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D012834:Silver; D020959:Polyethylene
keywords: ICP-AES; LDPE; Nanomaterial; SEM; food packaging; food simulant; layer-by-layer; migration; nanosilver