Labthink Knowledge

  When consumers purchase a bottle of water, a yogurt cup, or a ready-to-eat meal, they rarely think about the packaging itself. Yet behind every food package lies a critical question: Can substances from the packaging migrate into the food? This question sits at the heart of food contact material (FCM) regulations worldwide and has become increasingly important as packaging structures grow more sophisticated and regulatory requirements continue to evolve. Understanding Migration in Food Packaging Plastic food packaging is far more than a simple polymer. Modern packaging materials often contain a combination of: Monomers Additives Stabilizers Processing aids Plasticizers Antioxidants Colorants and coatings These substances are used to improve performance, durability, appearance, and processing efficiency. However, under certain conditions, some of these substances may transfer from the packaging into food. This phenomenon is known as migration . Migration does not automatically im...

  When discussing food safety, most people focus on the food itself ： its ingredients, additives, and nutritional content. However, there is another critical factor that often goes unnoticed: the materials that come into contact with food. Food packaging, beverage containers, coatings, inks, adhesives, kitchen utensils, and processing equipment all fall under the category of Food Contact Materials (FCMs). Although these materials are not intended to be consumed, they can interact with food during storage, transportation, and use. This is why food contact materials are subject to rigorous regulatory oversight, particularly in the European Union. What Are Food Contact Materials? Food Contact Materials include any material or article intended to come into contact with food, or that may reasonably be expected to transfer substances into food under normal conditions of use. Examples include: Plastic packaging Paper and board packaging Beverage bottles Printing inks Coatings and varnishe...

When we think of food safety, we often imagine preventing mold or bacterial growth. However, there is an invisible frontier in food safety: the chemical interaction between a product and its container. Migration testing in food packaging is the scientific study of the transfer of chemical substances—such as monomers, plasticizers, and heavy metals—from packaging materials into the food or drink they hold (Intertek, 2024). Food Contact Materials (AI Generated Image) While visible spoilage is easy to spot, chemical leaching is undetectable to the consumer but poses significant long-term health risks. Section 1: Types of Migration: Overall vs. Specific Migration isn't a single measurement; it is categorized by what is being tracked and the level of risk involved. Overall Migration (OM): This measures the total amount of non-volatile substances that move from the package to the food. It is an indicator of the inert...