title: Progress in mass spectrometry for the analysis of set-off phenomena in plastic food packaging materials.
abstract: In most cases, food packaging materials contain inks whose components can migrate to food by diffusion through the material as well as by set-off phenomena. In this work, different mass spectrometry approaches had been used in order to identify and confirm the presence of ink components in ethanol (95%) and Tenax(®) as food simulants. Three different sets of materials, manufactured with different printing technologies and with different structures, were analyzed. Sample analysis by ultra performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), using a quadrupole-time of flight (Q-TOF) as a mass analyser proved to be an excellent tool for identification purposes while ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) shown to be very useful for the confirmation of the candidates proposed. The results showed the presence of different non-volatile ink components in migration such as colorants (Solvent Red 49), plasticizers (dimethyl sebacate, tributyl o-acetyl citrate) or surfactants (SchercodineM, triethylene glycol caprilate). An oxidation product of an ink additive (triphenyl phosphine oxide) was also detected. In addition, a surface analysis technique, desorption electrospray mass spectrometry (DESI-MS), was used for analyzing the distribution of some ink components (tributyl o-acetyl citrate Schercodine L, phthalates) in the material. The detection of some of these compounds in the back-printed side confirmed the transference of this compound from the non-food to the food contact side. The results also showed that concentration of ink migrants decreased when an aluminum or polypropylene layer covered the ink. When aluminum was used, concentration of most of ink migrants decreased, and for 5 out of the 9 even disappeared.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería de Aragón (I3A), Grupo GUIA, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aznar
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería de Aragón (I3A), Grupo GUIA, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alfaro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería de Aragón (I3A), Grupo GUIA, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: cnerin@unizar.es.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nerín
authors.affiliation: Waters Corporation, Stamford Avenue, Altrincham Road, Wilmslow, SK9 4AX, UK.
authors.forename: Emrys
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Waters Corporation, Stamford Avenue, Altrincham Road, Wilmslow, SK9 4AX, UK.
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riches
mesh_terms: D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D005505:Food Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D018857:Food Packaging; D007281:Ink; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000737:chemistry; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005505:Food Coloring Agents; D010968:Plasticizers; D010969:Plastics; D013501:Surface-Active Agents
keywords: Desorption electrospray ionization; Food packaging; High resolution-mass spectrometry; Inks; Ion mobility-mass spectrometry; Migration