Occurrence of extractable ink residuals in packaging materials used in the Czech Republic

• Published in: Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 97 - 106
• Main Authors: Dupáková, Z., Dobiáš, J., Votavová, L., Klaudisová, K., Voldrich, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01-01-2010; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Chromatography; chromatography - gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS); Czech Republic; Food Contamination - analysis; Food industries; Food Packaging; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; General aspects; Handling, storage, packaging, transport; Health risk assessment; Humans; Ink; Ink & ink industry; Mass spectrometry; packaging - food simulants; packaging - inks; packaging - migration modelling; Photochemical Processes; Plasticizers - adverse effects; Plasticizers - analysis; Plastics; Polymers - adverse effects; Polymers - analysis; Risk Assessment; Solvents - adverse effects; Solvents - analysis; Thin films; Czech Republic; Europe; Czech Rep; chromatography ― gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS); packaging ― inks; Packaging material; Migration; Use; packaging ― migration modelling; Gas chromatography; packaging ― food simulants; Surveillance; Packaging; Conditioning; Mass spectrometry; Food
• ISSN: 1944-0049; 1944-0057
• DOI: 10.1080/02652030903225765

Residues of printing ink components were determined in 94 samples of packaging materials commercially used in the Czech Republic for food packaging. The samples tested included printed polyethylene and polypropylene films, co-extruded and laminated films, paperboard beverages boxes, foils for thermo sealing of polystyrene cups, and polypropylene cups. Printing ink components were extracted with diethylether, then separated and determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Fifty compounds potentially originating from printing were isolated, identified and quantified. No acute health risk for consumers were identified, even though several findings of high levels of photo-initiators (e.g. in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films for thermo sealing of polystyrene cups) as well as plasticizers (acetyl tributyl citrate, tributyl aconitate, 2-butoxyethyl oleate and 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate in co-extruded films) indicate that their real migration into food and/or food simulants needs to be undertaken for a proper safety evaluation.