Investigation of potential migratables from paper and board food contact materials.

Since the ban on single-use plastic articles in Europe, the food contact material (FCM) industry has been forced to move to more sustainable alternatives. Paper and board FCM are convenient alternatives but must be safe for consumers. This study aims to investigate potential migrations of various substances (e.g., plasticizers, photoinitiators, primary aromatic amines, mineral oil, and bisphenols) from straws and takeaway articles made of paper and board. Twenty straws and fifty-eight takeaway articles were carefully selected and investigated using liquid and gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry or flame ionization detector. Fourteen substances of all the targeted categories were found in takeaway articles, including seven plasticizers, two photoinitiators, one primary aromatic amine, two bisphenols, and the saturated and aromatic fraction of mineral oil (MOSH and MOAH, respectively). In straws, fewer substances were detected, i.e., six substances, including three plasticizers, one photoinitiator, MOSH, and MOAH. At least one of the target substances was detected in 88% of the samples, demonstrating the importance of further evaluation of these materials. Finally, the associated risks were assessed, highlighting the potential risks for several types of articles regarding bisphenol A, one primary aromatic amine (3.3-DMB), and MOSH and MOAH.

Towards Less Plastic in Food Contact Materials: An In-Depth Overview of the Belgian Market.

The food contact materials (FCMs) industry is forced to develop substitute materials due to constant pressure from consumers and authorities to reduce fossil-based plastic. Several alternatives are available on the market. However, market share, trends, and consumer preferences are still unclear. Therefore, this study aims to provide an overview of the Belgian FCMs market, the available substitute materials, and their uses. The market analysis was performed with an integrated web-based approach. Fifty-two sources were investigated, covering e-shops selling materials intended to replace disposable plastic materials or being advertised as environmentally friendly and websites describing homemade FCMs. The first screening identified 10,523 articles. The following data cleaning process resulted in a homogeneous dataset containing 2688 unique entries, systematically categorised into fifteen material categories and seven utilisation classes. Paper and board was the most popular material category (i.e., 37% of the entries), followed by bagasse, accounting for 9% of the entries. Takeaway and food serving (44.4% and 22.8% of the entries) were the most common usage categories. The study pursued to provide insights into current trends and consumer preferences, highlighting priorities for safety assessment and future policy making.