Migration of organic contaminants into dry powdered food in paper packaging materials and the influencing factors

Abstract The factors affecting the migration of organic contaminants from paper packaging materials into packaged dry powdered food were studied. Based on the molecular structure, volatile, molecular weight, and harm posed to the human body, five organic substances were selected as simulated pollutants. According to EU technical standard BS EN13130-1:2004 (E) migration trough types E manufactured migration cell and completion of migration of simulated contaminants from paper to solid powdered foods at different temperature and times were studied. GC-MS technology was used to detect the content of simulated pollutants in paper and food. Partial least-squares (PLS) method was used to analyze the effects of various factors affecting migration performance. Results showed that the migration of simulated pollutants from paper packaging materials into solid powdered foods was affected by temperature, contact time, molecular weight of organic pollutants, and volatile. Among them, volatile and molecular weight contributed the greatest effects, whereas temperature contributed the least effect. Changes in temperature and contact time were positively correlated with migration performance, whereas volatile, molecular weight, molecular polarity of organic pollutants were negatively correlated. In other words, for the individual factors, higher temperature and longer contact time meant higher migration percentage of organic pollutants from paper-based packaging to packaged dry powdered foods, whereas greater volatile and higher molecular weight of organic pollutants led to poorer migration into food.