Food packaging: ensuring the safety and quality of foods. 2nd International Symposium organized by International Life Sciences Institute. November 8-10, 2000. Vienna, Austria.
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Animals↗
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Patients' understanding and use of snack food package nutrition labels.
PURPOSE: Little information exists on how patients in medical practice use food package nutrition labels. We theorized that patients in a general medical practice might not make the distinction between serving size and total package nutrition information, and this might lead to obesity. METHODS: Ninety patients between ages of 18 and 65 attending the St. Francis/University of Tennessee Family Practice Center were interviewed to determine whether they could calculate the total calories in sample snack food packages that contained more than one serving. RESULTS: Ninety percent of our patient sample correctly identified the number of calories per individual serving, but only 37% were able to recognize that the sample packages contained multiple servings. Confusion between calories per serving size and total calories per package was correlated with lower educational levels (P =.011) and with the presence of cardiovascular heart disease in our patient sample. CONCLUSIONS: Our patients tended to think of a multiple serving package as one serving. They underestimated and under-reported caloric intake from snack food sources. We conclude that snack food labels as actually used by patients do not lead to informed dietary choices. These findings could impact our understanding and management of the obesity epidemic in the United States.
Adolescent↗
Headspace sampling and gas-solid chromatographic determination and confirmation of greater than or equal to 1 ppb vinyl chloride residues in polyvinyl chloride food packaging.
The determination and confirmation of residual vinyl chloride (VC) in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) food packaging materials are described. PVC packaging materials are dissolved in dimethylacetamide (DMAC). VC is sparged from solution with helium gas and collected in sealed vials of ethanol. VC is detected and quantitated by using a headspace sampling technique and standard gas-solid chromatography (GSC) with flame ionization detection. GSC peak heights of about 5% full scale deflection are obtained for samples of PVC containing 1 ppb VC. Polymer samples taken from tubing, blood bags, food packaging films, bottles, and unprocessed resin were analyzed. Residual VC levels ranged from 0.3 to 913 ppb. VC was confirmed by GSC-mass spectrometry, using selected ion recording of m/z 62 and 64 in conjunction with full mass scans to identify components eluting near VC.
Chromatography, Gas↗
Bacteria in food packaging paper and board.
The bacteria of food packaging paper and board were studied. Most of the aerobic strains were spore-formers; members of the genus Bacillus with B. cereus group (B. cereus, B. mycoides, B. thuringiensis), B. polymyxa group (B. polymyxa, B. circulans, B. macerans, B. pabuli), B. brevis and B. licheniformis predominated. The main source of spore-forming bacteria in paper and board was the broke (rejected paper or board, which is repulped and recycled into the process). Gram-negative bacteria were rare in paper and board in spite of their abundance in the stock. A strain of B. pumilus forming clumping, hairy spores may be of significance in aseptic packaging.
Bacillus↗
Agreement between analytical values and label declarations of sodium content of processed packaged foods.
As part of the Food Labeling and Product Surveillance Program of the Food and Drug Administration, samples from 1982, 1984, and 1986 surveys of processed packaged foods (canned, frozen, and dry packaged) were analyzed to determine how closely the foods' actual sodium content matched their label claims for sodium. Samples were classified into three groups: "sodium-free" products (less than 5 mg sodium per serving), and "very-low-sodium" products (5 to 35 mg per serving), and a larger group of products that were labeled as containing more than 35 mg sodium per serving. In the third group, the distribution of actual sodium content fell around 100% of label claims for sodium. For the three survey years, analyzed sodium averaged 101% of label claim (standard deviation [SD] = 25%) for 1982 samples (20 products), 99% of label claim (SD = 28%) for 1984 samples (108 products), and 94% of label claim (SD = 21%) for 1986 samples (265 products). Products labeled "very low sodium" were treated separately because sodium analyses varied widely from the label declarations. However, most "very-low-sodium" products were well under 35 mg sodium per serving. Results indicated that consumers receive reasonably accurate information about the sodium content of processed packaged foods from label claims.
Food Analysis↗
Microscopic study of migration of microbes in food-packaging paper and board.
The microbiological barrier properties of food-packaging paperboards, coated with polyethylene, mineral pigment or a biodegradable polymer and of high-density paper were examined with confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results show that the spatial distribution of microscopically observable bacterial cells was uneven inside the paperboard. The concentration in the interface between the polyethylene coating and the cellulose fibers was 100-200 times higher than inside the cellulose matrix. The bacteria in the interface and the mineral coating layer grew in response to access to food and moisture, whereas no growth was observed inside the fiber web, not even after extended exposure for up to 90 days. The paper and paperboards studied contained soluble nutrients (C:N:P 54:9:1 to 309:3:1) and no measurable antimicrobial activity. The factor limiting growth and migration of bacteria inside the fiber web was most likely limited access to free water, even under conditions of extensive wetting. The studied paperboards functioned as efficient barriers against translocation of microbes. The microbes residing between the paperboard and its polymer coating facing food, was the only potential site from which microbes could leak into food. This emphasizes the need for high hygienic quality of surface-sizing chemicals. Mineral-coating pigments were a source of microbes and their application behind the PE coating facing food is contraindicated.
Bacteria↗
Evaluating the potential for recycling all PET bottles into new food packaging.
To evaluate the feasibility of recycling all PET bottles into food packaging, realistic estimates of the maximum concentration of contaminants that might be expected in the polymer are needed. To estimate the maximum concentration of a contaminant that might be in PET from the storage of non-food substances, sorption experiments into two types of PET were performed. These test materials were 0.8mm thick amorphous PET (a relative sink for contaminants) and commercial PET bottle wall. Using a commercial shampoo containing 1% lindane (C6H6Cl6), the test materials were stored in contact with the shampoo at 20 and 40 degrees C for 231 days. This commercial shampoo also represents an extreme case because it contains 7% acetone, a solvent which swells PET, further enhancing sorption of chemicals. Additional sorption experiments into PET were performed by preparing solutions of 10% toluene in Miglyol (a fractionated coconut oil), 10% benzophenone in Miglyol, 5% 2-butoxyethoxy ethanol (2-BE) in 50/50 water/ethanol, and 10% methyl stearate in heptane. Sorption data from the shampoo into PET illustrate Fickian behaviour. Specifically, the amount of sorption at room temperature is approximately40 times less than that at 40 degrees C. The amount of lindane sorbed into PET from the shampoo after 231 days was 0.1 and 3.7 mgdm(-2) at 20 and 40 degrees C respectively. These values correspond to 28 and 765 mg kg(-1) on a mass/mass basis. All sorptions are within the ranges measured and published by other authors using surrogate contamination testing schemes. Additionally, actual bottles from recycle bins were analysed for the amout of contamination. Results are discussed in terms of potential consumer exposure to non-food contaminants in food containers made of recycled PET and in relation to the surrogate testing methods recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for determining the compatibility of a PET recycling process to produce containers suitable for food-contact use.
Absorption↗
Risk perception and communication: lessons for the food and food packaging industry.
Health risks are front-page news. Be it bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE), surface ozone, or radiation from transmitter stations or mobile phones, the popular press puts out a constant stream of risk warnings and sensational reports about potential health threats. This paper examines how the general public perceives and assesses such information when it comes to food and food packaging risks. In the first part, the basic components of food risks are discussed and then compared with the perceptions of these risks. The main emphasis is on the risks from food packaging. The term 'perception' as used in cognitive psychology applies to the mental processes through which a person takes in, deals with and assesses information from the environment (physical and communicative) via the senses. The last part of the paper deals with the consequences of risk assessment and risk perception for risk management and risk communication.
Attitude to Health↗
[Comments on current regulations concerning food packaging].
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Food↗
Contamination of packaged food by substances migrating from a direct-contact plastic layer: Assessment using a generic quantitative household scale methodology.
The contamination risk in 12 packaged foods by substances released from the plastic contact layer has been evaluated using a novel modeling technique, which predicts the migration that accounts for (i) possible variations in the time of contact between foodstuffs and packaging and (ii) uncertainty in physico-chemical parameters used to predict migration. Contamination data, which are subject to variability and uncertainty, are derived through a stochastic resolution of transport equations, which control the migration into food. Distributions of contact times between packaging materials and foodstuffs were reconstructed from the volumes and frequencies of purchases of a given panel of 6422 households, making assumptions about household storage behaviour. The risk of contamination of the packaged foods was estimated for styrene (a monomer found in polystyrene yogurt pots) and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene (a representative of the widely used phenolic antioxidants). The results are analysed and discussed regarding sensitivity of the model to the set parameters and chosen assumptions.
Chemical Phenomena↗
Food packaging regulation in the United States and the European Union.
The regulation of food packaging has, indeed, become a global subject as the world's commercial channels have broadened since World War II. The first comprehensive regulatory statute governing the area was the Food Additives Amendment of 1958 in the United States, a modification of the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, and Belgium began regulatory activity in the early 1960s and the European Community set in motion its own work in this direction beginning in 1976. Companies in the United States and the Europe have been struggling with each of the laws since then. The regulatory systems employed on the two continents are superficially similar but this is far from the truth in actual practice. Each has its own special history and set of exemptions; they vary tremendously. Each has its cadre of supporters as well but a considerable lack of understanding afflicts regulators and the regulated on both sides of the Atlantic. This three part report first discusses the history of the United States system and its characteristics; Book II covers the history of European Union regulations and their salient features; and Book III highlights the commonalities and differences in the systems, discusses their scientific basing points, and makes some recommendations as to how they can be brought closer together in the interests of harmonization and the removal of unnecessary trade barriers.
European Union↗
[Expectations regarding nutrition information on food product packages].
Food labeling was originally developed to help consumers make the right decision in choosing at food products. It (food labeling) is also helpful in consumer's education. The aim of this study was to analyze the consumers' preferences concerning foods' labeling products. The type and the form of the information and of course the information itself were analyzed. The study was carried out in the form of a questionnaire among 295 people who were the consumers of supermarkets. The only criteria for the chosen subjects were that they agree to take part in the study and that they are the heads of their families. It came out that 54% of the subjects accepted the current information about food products. More than 23% said that they didn't understand the information provided by the food labels. 66% said that food labels should have educational information concerning the role of an ingredient in health and nutrition. Everyone wanted "negative" information, for example: "this product is not recommended for..."). More than 87% stated that they want information like "this product is recommended for...". (That kind of preference doesn't go along with the current law concerning food products). The best motivation for using food labels is sickness or illness. 89% of the subjects said that the information about the food products and the nutritional value are more important than the information about the producer. Informations concerning the nutritional values in 100 g and in 1 portion of a product were easiest to understand for 71% of the subjects. The results of this study show that food labeling is very important form of consumers education.
Adult↗
Comprehensive analysis of migrates from food-packaging materials: a challenge.
The premise is put forward that present European regulation of food-packaging materials does not provide the assessment for safety corresponding to the opinion of toxicologists that migrants ingested in amounts exceeding a threshold of 1.5 microg day(-1) should be identified and toxicologically evaluated. Many substances that migrate (the large majority of the components migrating from can coatings) are neither starting point materials, nor obvious derivatives therefrom, and are, therefore, not covered by existing systems based on positive lists. Safety presupposes the comprehensive analysis of the migrating substances, ultimately to the limits in terms of concentration and molecular weight considered to he of toxicological concern. This is a new analytical challenge. In this paper, expected problems are discussed, leading to the conclusion that it will be difficult to achieve comprehensive analysis down to the concentrations presently considered safe, but that systematic work should start to define the possibilities and limitations of analytical chemistry for a migrate-oriented coating legislation.
European Union↗
Development of polythene films for food packaging activated with an antilisterial bacteriocin from Lactobacillus curvatus 32Y.
AIMS: The aims of this work were to (i) use a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus curvatus 32Y active against Listeria monocytogenes to activate polythene films by different methods, (ii) implement a large-scale process for antilisterial polythene films production and (iii) verify the efficacy of the developed films in inhibiting the growth of L. monocytogenes during the storage of meat products. METHODS AND RESULTS: The film was made active by using the antilisterial bacteriocin 32Y by Lact. curvatus with three different procedures: soaking, spraying and coating. The antimicrobial activity of the activated films was tested in plate assays against the indicator strain L. monocytogenes V7. All the used procedures yielded active polythene films although the quality of the inhibition was different. The coating was therefore employed to develop active polythene films in an industrial plant. The antimicrobial activity of the industrially produced films was tested in experiments of food packaging involving pork steak and ground beef contaminated by L. monocytogenes V7 at roughly 10(3) CFU cm(-2) and gram respectively. The results of the challenge tests showed the highest antimicrobial activity after 24 h at 4 degrees C, with a decrease of about 1 log of the L. monocytogenes population. CONCLUSIONS: Antimicrobial packaging can play an important role in reducing the risk of pathogen development, as well as extending the shelf life of foods. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Studies of new food-grade bacteriocins as preservatives and development of suitable systems of bacteriocin treatment of plastic films for food packaging are important issues in applied microbiology and biotechnology, both for implementing and improving effective hurdle technologies for a better preservation of food products.
Adsorption↗
Study of aroma scalping through thermosealable polymers used in food packaging by inverse gas chromatography.
Scalping of aroma components in polymers used for food packaging was determined by solubility experiments. Aromas were selected from different families: esters, alcohols, hydrocarbons and ketones. Polymers were a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), an ionomer and a new thermosealable polyester (PET). Polymers were selected from thermosealable materials because of their resistance to fats and oils. Sorption isotherms (low sorbate activity range) for every system aroma (vapour)/polymer were determined by inverse gas chromatography. Isotherms were found to be linear. Hence, solubility coefficients (S) as defined by Henry's law were calculated from the isotherm slopes. According to S values, PET appears to be the best choice to minimize aroma scalping by sorption in the packaging inner layer, Ionomers improve the barrier to aroma when compared with LLDPE except for polar sorbates. Sorption of aroma components was shown to be selective, e.g. limonene was preferentially sorbed in LLDPE. The value of S for the limonene/LLDPE system was 2.5 times the value of S for ethyl caproate/LLDPE. This selectivity may lead to an imbalance in the flavour and may be more important than the prevention of overall scalping.
Absorption↗
Testing and evaluation of recycled plastics for food packaging use--possible migration through a functional barrier.
A coextruded three-layered polypropylene (PP) cup with recycled PP material (R-PP) in the middle layer was investigated with respect to its possible use for a specific food packaging application. From the results of this investigation a general approach to testing and evaluating the use of recycled plastic materials in food packaging is presented. The method which focuses on the direct comparison of the R-PP containing cup with a food grade PP cup manufactured from virgin material involves essentially three investigation levels: 1, compositional analysis of the raw materials, i.e. PP and R-PP granules; 2, compositional analysis of the PP and R-PP cup materials and 3, migration testing of both types of cups applying practical as well as more severe test conditions. The aim of this approach is to test the PP food contact layer for its functional barrier behaviour. One key step is the estimation of migration under practice-like test conditions in concentrations below the analytical detection limits. This can only be achieved by selecting appropriate R-PP specific guide compounds whose migration can be monitored under more severe conditions than occur in practice. From the results of this investigation general conclusions on functional barrier testing are drawn.
Alkanes↗
Determination of migrants in and migration from nylon food packaging.
A method was developed to determine the amount of residual oligomers in nylon food packaging. In addition, a method was developed to measure oligomers that migrate to a food-stimulating liquid (oil) during oven cooking conditions. It was found that the total amount of nylon 6/66 oligomers that migrated from an oven baking bag to oil after heating for 30 min at 176 degrees C was 15.5 micrograms/g (ppm) or 11.9 micrograms/cm2, which represented 43% of the total amount of oligomers present in the packaging material.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
1H-NMR for the safety control of food packaging materials: analysis of extracts from polyolefin samples.
A new approach for the identification of the additives in extracts of packaging plastics, using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), is presented. The technique can be used in a preliminary step for the determination of contaminants potentially released by the food packaging materials; it may greatly reduce the time required to identify the constituents of the materials, either individually or as functional classes. A classification of the EEC additives is proposed on the basis of chemical shift. 1H-NMR can also be used as a fingerprint technique in the quality control of the food packaging materials.
Chromatography↗