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The objective of this study was to test and develop analytical methods for quantifying surrogates in spiked papers.
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The 21 CFR 176.260 permits the use of pulp from reclaimed paper for food packaging applications as long as any poisonous or deleterious substances do not migrate into the food. Most commercially available paper packages for fatty and/or moisture foods, where high temperature is applied, have various coatings such as PE, PP, and PET on a virgin paper layer (eg., french fries and various TV dinners).</p>
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The safety of recycled paperboard for food contact, therefore, should be assessed for its functional barrier, and the effectiveness of the functional barrier relative to its type and thickness should be determined.</p>
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Four potential surrogate contaminants were selected, and analytical procedures for quantifying surrogates in recycled paperboard were developed. </P>
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In the future, analytical methods for quantifying the surrogates in food simulating systems will be developed, and extraction experiments will be performed to measure the concentration of the residual contaminants migrating from the paperboard into the food simulating systems through the functional barrier during cooking.</P>