Identification and migration of degradation compounds from irradiation of multilayer polyamide 6 films for meat foodstuffs and cheese.

The aim of this work was to identify the degradation compounds produced during irradiation of multilayer polyamide 6 (PA-6) films and to study their migration into water and 95% ethanol food simulant. After irradiation of multilayer PA-6 films at 3, 7 and 12 kGy, degradation compounds were extracted using solid-phase microextraction, for which the time and temperature of extraction and stirring were optimized, and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Caprolactam, 2-cyclopentylcyclopentanone and aldehydes, among other compounds, were identified in the headspace of the films. Polydimethylsiloxane was considered the best fiber for extraction. The optimum conditions of time, temperature and stirring to extract the compounds were 20 min, 80 degrees C and 225 rpm. For validation purposes, the compounds were quantified in water and 95% ethanol and the results showed high sensitivity, good precision and accuracy. Migration of compounds from irradiated and non-irradiated multilayer PA-6 films into water and 95% ethanol food simulants was carried out at 40 degrees C for 10 days. The method was efficient for the quantification of decaldehyde, 2-cyclopentylcyclopentanone and caprolactam that migrated from multilayer PA-6 films into food simulants.

Study of barrier properties and chemical resistance of recycled PET coated with amorphous carbon through a plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) process.

Many studies have been carried out in order to make bottle-to-bottle recycling feasible. The problem is that residual contaminants in recycled plastic intended for food packaging could be a risk to public health. One option is to use a layer of virgin material, named functional barrier, which prevents the contaminants migration process. This paper shows the feasibility of using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycled for food packaging employing a functional barrier made from hydrogen amorphous carbon film deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD) process. PET samples were deliberately contaminated with a series of surrogates using a FDA protocol. After that, PET samples were coated with approximately 600 and 1200 Angstrons thickness of amorphous carbon film. Then, the migration tests using as food simulants: water, 10% ethanol, 3% acetic acid, and isooctane were applied to the sample in order to check the chemical resistance of the new coated material. After the tests, the liquid extracts were analysed using a solid-phase microextraction device (SPME) coupled to GC-MS.

Determination of UV stabilizers in PET bottles by high performance-size exclusion chromatography.

A Size Exclusion Chromatography-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (SECHPLC) method to determine antioxidants and UV stabilizers in PET bottles has been developed. In only a single run a synthetic mixture of the stabilizers was separated and quantified. The detection limit obtained for BHT, Tinuvin 326, Cyasorb UV 5411, and Tinuvin P was about 0.1 microgram/g and for Irgafos 168 it was 1.0 microgram. RSD values were lower than 3%. Tinuvin P was identified and quantified in PET bottle extracts. Olive oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil showed well defined separation from Tinuvin P at the same conditions of analysis. Cyclic dimers were identified in the PET extracts.