Chemical migration from food packaging adhesives

4 Chemical migration from food packaging adhesives 

1 Migration from water-based adhesives and solvent-based adhesives 

Water-based adhesives are used in the production of paper and cardboard food packaging. Migration of adhesive components from such packaging has been assessed. Migration levels into a food simulant (Tenax) were lower than the specific migration limits for plastics which were used to provide a convenient, informal way of assessing the results. Migration to foodstuffs would be expected to be even lower than into the Tenax simulant used, because food will not be in direct contact with the adhesive surfaces. 

For solvent-based adhesives, there is the potential for migration of residual solvent for those systems in which the food is packaged prior to evaporation of all residues. 

Hot-melt adhesives are usually used for box-sealing applications for coated paperboard products. Migration of mineral hydrocarbons from these adhesives into foods was investigated in a survey. No mineral hydrocarbons were detected but several other substances were present in the adhesives. These were proposed to be natural resins such as polyterpene resins, tall oil rosin esters, and sterol-like natural products.Examples of each of these natural products are described in ref. 13 as being used for hot-melt adhesives. 

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Research on chemical migration from other types or components of packaging material - e.g. glass, wood, cork, coatings, adhesives - has been carried out sporadically. There is now a concerted UK programme to study chemical migration from these so that problems can be identified and dealt with in a consistent way (Working Party on Chemical Contaminants from Food Contact Materials and Articles, 1999). 

This chapter provides examples of adhesive types used to make food packaging materials. It details the potential for chemical migration from adhesives and how the safety of these substances can be, and has been, tested experimentally. 

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