Quantifying Total Migrant from Food Contact Materials by The Residue After Evaporation Method

One crucial aspect of ensuring the safety of food contact materials (FCMs) is determining the total amount of substances that can migrate from the FCM into food. Total migration refers to the overall quantity of non-volatile substances that transfer from a food contact material (like plastic packaging, a cooking utensil, or a storage container) into food. These migrating substances can include monomers, additives, or other compounds present in the FCM.

Residue After Evaporation is one of the methods used to quantify the total migrant in food simulants liquid. The principle behind this method is straightforward: if substances migrate from the FCM into a food simulant, evaporating the simulant will leave behind a residue representing those migrated substances. By measuring this residue, we can quantify the total migrant.

The testing process begins with selecting a food simulant that mimics the properties of the food the material will contact. The food contact material is then exposed to this simulant under carefully controlled conditions, including specific temperature and contact time. During this period, substances from the material migrate into the simulant. Next, the simulant is evaporated, leaving behind any migrated substances as a residue. This residue is then measured, often by weighing it. Finally, the amount of residue is used to calculate the total migrant, which is then compared to regulatory limits to ensure safety.

Traditionally several pieces of equipment would be used to automate this process, such as rotary evaporators which facilitate controlled evaporation of the simulant; robotic systems and analytical balances improve the accuracy and efficiency of residue weighing.

Labthink C830H Migration & Non-volatile-matter Content Tester is an integrated, high efficiency automatic tester for determination of migration and non-volatile matter contents from volatile liquids, it can be widely applied for determination non-volatile contents of packaging materials for pharmaceuticals, total solids, water and fat of food, water and insoluble substances of pharmaceuticals and food additives. The instrument supports fast evaporation mode and efficient reagent recycling function so that water, trichloromethane, acetic acid, ethanol, n-hexane and other reagents can be used to improve the testing efficiency.

Measuring the residue after evaporation of a food simulant is a valuable and widely used method for quantifying total migrant from food contact materials. While it has some limitations, it provides crucial information for assessing the safety of FCMs and ensuring compliance with regulations. By combining this method with other analytical techniques, a comprehensive understanding of potential migration from FCMs can be achieved.