Specific Migration Test - Elemental Determination: Why is it done?

Elemental Determination within the Scope of Specific Migration Test

What is Specific Migration Test and Elemental Determination?

Migration of chemicals from food contact materials to food is called migration. Substances that pass into food by migration are also called migrates. Materials such as packaging, disposable plates, cups that come into contact with food may contain many chemicals. Materials in long-term contact with foodstuffs are therefore regularly subjected to Migration Testing.

The specific migration test is a test method used to determine the amount of migration of chemical components in food contact materials into food. This test can be applied for both organic and inorganic components. Elemental determination is performed during this test, especially to determine the amount of migration of toxic elements.

The Specific Migration Test, which is carried out within the scope of migration tests, is applied to substances that are independent of the specific migration limit and toxicological studies constitute the content of the test.

The elements listed in Annex II to Commission Regulation (EU) No 2020/1245 of September 2, 2020 amending and correcting Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 in the context of specific migration are listed as follows:

Lithium (Li)
Sodium (Na)
Magnesium (Mg)
Aluminum (Al)
Potassium (K)
Calcium (Ca)
Chromium (Cr)
Manganese (Mn)
Iron (Fe)
Cobalt (Co)
Nickel (Ni)
Copper (Cu)
Zinc (Zn)
Arsenic (As)
Cadmium (Cd)
Antimony (Sb)
Barium (Ba)
Lantan (La)
Europium (Eu)
Gadolinium (Gd)
Terbium (Tb)
Mercury (Hg)
Lead (Pb)
Lanthanide total - Eu, Gd, La, Tb

DIN EN 13130: Materials and articles in contact with food - Restrictions on plastic materials - Part 1: Test methods for the determination of certain substances from plastics into food and imitation foods and selection of conditions of exposure to imitation foods - Guidance

Specific Migration Test

Application Area: It is applied on materials in contact with food such as plastics, composites, metals and ceramics. These materials come into direct contact with foodstuffs and are therefore at risk of migration of toxic elements.
Test Procedure: The sample is soaked in a specific simulation liquid at a specific time and temperature. These simulation liquids are selected as liquids with similar chemical properties to foodstuffs. This process allows toxic elements to migrate from the materials to the food.
Simulation Liquids: For food contact materials, acetic acid, ethanol, water or liquids with similar pH values to foodstuffs are usually used. These liquids allow the test to provide results close to real-world conditions.
Element Determination: The amount of migrating elements is analyzed with this liquid taken from the sample. This is done using instruments such as gas chromatography (GC), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) or induction plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). These instruments detect the presence and quantification of toxic elements, e.g. heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic.
Evaluation of Results: The results obtained are compared with the specific migration limits set by the European Union (EU). These limits limit the amount of migration of toxic elements from food contact materials.

Element Determination

Toxic Elements: Heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), which are hazardous to food safety, can migrate from food contact materials and contaminate foodstuffs. These elements can harm human health, so elemental determination is an important part of this type of analysis.
Gas Chromatography (GC): While GC is used to detect organic compounds in sample liquids, for elemental determination, instruments such as AAS or ICP-MS are preferred. AAS quantifies these elements by analyzing their adsorption at a specific wavelength, while ICP-MS is suitable for analyzing very low concentrations of elements.
Chemical Appearance: The different chemical compositions of the elements in the test sample are taken into account. For example, lead can often migrate as organic compounds, while arsenic can be in water-soluble form. Therefore, the analyses performed on the sample are customized according to the types and properties of these elements.

Nano-lab Laboratories Group continues to provide services within the scope of Specific Migration Testing. We also provide services in Plastic Packaging Analysis.

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