Exposure Assessment of Sb2O3 in PET Food Contact Materials

This study was conducted to do exposure assessment of the possible migration of antimony trioxide （Sb203） from Polyethylene terephthalate （PET） food contact materials （FCM）. Consumption Factor （CF） and Food-type Distribution Factor （fT） were calculated from survey data with reference to the US FDA method. The most conservative migration conditions were obtained by testing Sb migration from PET FCM based on the Chinese national standard of GB/T 5009.101-2003[1].

Development of Ficus carica Linn leaves extract incorporated chitosan films for active food packaging materials and investigation of their properties

The serious problems caused by extensive usage of petroleum-based plastic materials led to investigating the comprehensive studies and developing active food packaging materials.Even if the chitosan-based films are considered an attractive source,they exhibit some practical difficulties in developing active food packaging applications.Hence,Ficus carica Linn leaves extract(FLE),with the features of its cheapness,easy accessibility and superoxide anion radical scavenging activity,was incorporated into chitosan(CS)film at various concentrations(2%-6%w/w).To the best of our knowledge,this was the first time that FLE was utilized as a bioactive substance incorporated into chitosan films to develop eco-friendly,biodegradable,active food packaging material.The results obtained revealed that FLE incorporation into chitosan films significantly improved the swelling,water solubility and opacity of neat chitosan films.FTIR and morphological analysis indicated that the films produced exhibited smooth structure with homogenous dispersion of FLE.In mechanically,the addition of FLE resulted in a significant reduction in tensile strength while the elasticity of the films was improved.Additionally,the antioxidant and biodegradability properties of neat chitosan films were enhanced significantly.It was concluded that CS-FLE films appeared to be a capable and enhanced option for synthetic polymer-based food packaging materials.Based on the analyses performed,further studies are suggested on the packaging application for various foods and to evaluate the possible interaction of packaging film materials with the compounds of the food products,to avoid possible negative effects.

Association between Phthalate Exposure and the Use of Plastic Containers in Shanghai Adults

Objective Consuming phthalates may be due to the presence of food contact materials, such as plastic containers. In this study, we investigated the association between plastic container use and phthalate exposure in 2,140 Shanghai adults. Methods Participants completed a questionnaire on the frequency of using plastic containers in different scenarios in the previous year （e.g., daily, weekly） and on the consumption of plastic-packaged foods in the previous three days （yes or no）. Urinary phthalate metabolites were used to assess the association between phthalate exposure and the use of plastic containers. Results The metabolites of di-（2-ethylhexyl） phthalate （DEHP） were the most frequently detected in urine. The results revealed that phthalate exposure was associated with consumption of plastic-packaged breakfast or processed food items in the previous three days. The consumption of these two food items had strong synergistic effects on increasing urinary concentrations of most phthalate metabolites. Conclusion Our results of plastic-packaged breakfast and processed food may be explained by the use of flexible plastic containers, indicating the importance of risk assessment for the application of flexible plastic containers.

Nutritional quality, functional property and acceptability of maize (Zea mays) based complementary foods enriched with defatted groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) and ginger (Zinger officinale Roscoe) powder in Wistar rats

Traditional complementary foods in Africa are cereal-based, low in nutrient-density;hence, causing severe-acute-malnutrition. This study was aimed to formulate and evaluate nutritional quality of complementary foods (CF) using locally available food materials. Yellow maize (raw, germinated & fermented), defatted groundnut (DGF) and ginger flour (GGF) were blended to obtain RDG (76.7% raw yellow maize, 20.8% DGF and 2.5% GGF), GDG (74.4% germinated yellow maize, 23.1% DGF, 2.5% GGF), and FDG (72.6% fermented yellow maize, 24.9% DGF, 2.5% GGF). Food samples were evaluated for nutritional qualities and sensory attributes using standard methods. Protein (g/100 g), energy value (kCal/100 g), total amino acids and essential amino acids (g/100 g protein) of formulated CF ranged from 19.38 to 28.58, 373.49 to 394.53, 87.33 to 91.89 and 36.17 to 37.63, respectively, and were comparable to control (17.07, 401.22, 94.47 & 35.35). Minerals were present in appreciable amount in the foods, while phytate/mineral (Ca, Fe, Zn) and oxalate/calcium molar ratios were lower than critical levels. Bulk density (1.4 - 1.6 g/mL), least gelation (4 - 6%), water absorption capacity (10.5 - 15.8%) and swelling capacity (0.5 - 1.2%) were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in formulated CF than in control, except for bulk density. Biological value (78.44%) of FDG was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than GDG (78.4%) and RDG (75.87%), respectively, but lower than control (93.48%). Pack cell volume (22.50%), haemoglobin concentration (7.5 g/dL), red blood cell (3 × 103 mm− 3), albumin (3.72 g/dL), total blood protein (5.62 g/dL) and globulin (1.9 g/dL) of rats fed on FDG were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than other diets, but comparable to that of control. Kidney (urea, 10.16 mg/dL;creatinine, 4.8 mg/dL) and liver function index (AST/ALT ratio, 0.38) of rats fed on FDG were lower than in those rats fed on RDG, GDG and control. For sensorial attributes, RDG was ranked best next by FDG in appearance, aroma, texture, taste and overall acceptability, but were significantly (p < 0.05) rated lower than control. Finally, the study established that FDG (72.6% fermented yellow maize, 24.9% defatted groundnut and 2.5% ginger) was the best in nutritional quality and growth performance in rats;hence, this CF may be suitable to mitigate expensive commercial infant formula in alleviating severe-acute-malnutrition in children.

New strategy to delay food spoilage:Application of new food contact material with antibacterial function

Frequent food poisoning and food-borne diseases outbreaking in recent years have caused people to attach great attention to food safety,especially the food contact materials that are essential in the food industrial chains and daily lives,ensuring their clean sanitation are of great importance in blocking microbial contamination and spread of food-borne pathogens.Stainless steel(SS)is one of the most accepted and widely used food contact material,and the Cu-bearing SS possesses excellent antibacterial performance and maintains the original mechanical properties of SS,maybe making it a better substitute for the conventional SS in the food area.Taking advantages of bactericidal and antifouling properties of Cubearing SS,this study simulated a variety of food contact scenarios,explored a new strategy for food preservation and food safety by using Cu-bearing SS as a food contact material.The results showed that the Cu-bearing SS could not only delay the spoilage of different foods by inhibiting the activity of microorganisms in foods,but also reduce the expressions of spoilage traits of bacteria as well as the formation of biofilms by quenching the quorum-sensing signals,and further creating a good bacteriostatic atmosphere for the contacted food and its surrounding environment.In addition,the remarkable antifouling property of Cu-bearing SS would give the material a self-cleaning feature for food applications,which can avoid secondary contamination of food as a source of contamination.This study well demonstrates that the Cu-bearing SS has broad application potentials and prospects in the food area.