Saturday 4 July 2009

Research Programme A03: List of Projects

Details of Agency-funded projects under the Food Contact Material research programme (A03).

A03006: Identification of stages in the production of paper and board packaging materials where chemical hazards to food safety may occur

This research project aims to identify potential food safety hazards from chemicals in paper and board packaging materials.

Results available.

A03007: Migration test protocols for electroplated and dipped metalware intended for food contact

This research project investigates the extent of metal migration into food from plated metal products used in the kitchen, in order to produce recommendations for testing metalware cooking products.

Results available.

A03008: Investigations into how glass reinforced plastic (GRP) vats can be repaired to minimise migration of styrene into food

This research project aims to minimise the amount of styrene in food which is produced and stored in glass-fibre reinforced plastic vats.

Results available.

A03009: Methods and searchable spectroscopic libraries to identify substances migrating above a one part per billion (10⁹ ) threshold

This research project aims to provide information on the 'threshold of regulation' approach that is under consideration in the EU.

Results available.

A03016: Investigation of the migration of metals from glazed ceramic ware

This research project aimed to find out the types and amounts of metals that may migrate into food stored in glazed ceramic ware.

Results available.

A03018: Investigation into the effects of the freeze-thaw cycle on chemical migration from packaging into foods

This research project investigates whether freezing and thawing could affect the migration of chemicals from packaging into food.

Results available.

A03020: Investigation of the migration of chemicals from agglomerate, plastic and natural cork stoppers

This research project aims to identify the chemicals present in cork stoppers and estimate the amounts that could migrate into foods.

Results available.

A03021: Migration from recycled paper and board to dry foods. Research into the factors involved, leading to practical avoidance and amelioration measures.

This research project investigated the migration of chemicals from recycled paper and board packaging into dry foods and produce guidelines for industry.

Results available.

A03022: A systematic investigation into chemical migration from inks and associated coatings used on the food contact surface of packages

This research project investigates the migration of chemicals from inks, and associated coatings, to food.

Results available.

A03023: Strategy for assessing risk and assigning priorities to chemicals used to make food contact materials - a tiered approach with progressive refinement to calculate exposure levels

This research project investigated a new approach to systematically assess the risks of chemicals present in food contact materials.

Results available.

A03024/25: Collation and review of information on the use of unusual and non-traditional types of wood used as food contact materials

This research project aims to gather information on the use of unusual and non-traditional types of wood as food contact materials and investigate which chemicals could migrate into food from these.

Results available.

A03026: Investigation of the migration of inorganic contaminants into dry food from packaging made from recycled paper and board

This research project aims to establish whether there is a need for a safety review with respect to inorganic contaminants in recycled paper and board in contact with dry food.

Results available.

A03027 (FS2255): Determination of the potential for transfer from secondary packaging to foods and development of guidelines to reduce transfer to levels of no concern

This research project aimed to find out whether chemicals in secondary packaging can transfer into food and, if necessary, produce guidelines to reduce the transfer levels.

Results available.

A03028: Investigation into the migration of metals and coating materials from kitchenware products

This research project aims to determine the chemicals from non-stick coated and metal-coated kitchenware products that could migrate into food.

Results available.

A03029: Investigation of the significant factors in elemental migration from glass in contact with food

This research project aims to identify inorganic contaminants which could leach from glass into food.

Results available.

A03031 and A03032: Development of multi-methods for determining the migration of antioxidants and stabilisers included in Directive 2002/72/EC

This research project aimed to develop methods to determine the amount of migration of a small number of important additives from plastics to foods.

Results available.

A03033: Investigation of chemical migration into take-away foods

This research project aimed to determine if there was migration of chemicals into food from the packaging used for take-away foods.

Results available.

A03034: Investigation into the applications of food contact laminated materials; examination of migration potential and recommendations for safe use

This research project investigated the migration of chemicals from laminated materials into food.

Results available.

A03035: The effects of storage, temperature, damage and cooking on the migration of bisphenol A from can coatings

This research project investigated the amount of bisphenol A that migrates from can coatings into canned food in various situations.

Results available.

A03036: Migration of bisphenol A from polycarbonate plastic food contact materials and articles

This research project aimed to provide a better understanding of the applications and situations where bisphenol A might migrate to food and help in assessing consumer exposure to this chemical from food contact materials and articles.

Results available.

A03037: LC-MS method development for the screening of non-volatile and polar compounds present in paper and board and plastic food contact materials.

This study has advanced the understanding and limitations of LC-MS analysis. The research project developed methods for identifying and quantifying 'unknowns' that can migrate from food contact plastics, paper and coatings into food.

Results available.

A03038: An investigation of the breakdown products of curatives and antidegradants used to produce food contact elastomers

This research project aimed to identify and quantify chemicals that can migrate from rubber into food.

Results available.

A03039: Active packaging - current trends and potential for migration

This research project aimed to evaluate the significance of developments in active packaging as regards to the possible impact on the safety and quality of the packaged food.

Results available.

A03040: Investigation of the nature and extent of biodegradable polymers in direct food contact applications

This research project aimed to investigate current usage of biodegradable packaging and identify chemicals that could migrate into food.

Results available.

A03041: Domestic use, reuse and misuse of food packaging in the home

This research project aimed to provide information on the reuse of food packaging by consumers.

Results available.

A03042: Substances migrating from ion-exchange resins

This research project investigated the use of ion-exchange resins in the food industry and aimed to identify if any chemicals could migrate into the food being processed.

Results available.

A03043: Assessment and quantification of latex protein (LP) transfer from LP-containing contact materials into food and drink products

This research project aimed to determine the extent to which materials containing latex protein are being used as contact materials in the food chain and to develop tools for monitoring latex allergens in food.

Results available.

A03044: Chemical migration from adhesives used in food contact materials and articles

This research project generated information on the use, composition and migration potential of specific adhesive systems used in food contact packaging.

Results available.

A03045: To identify chemicals that could migrate into foodstuffs from pigments and dyes, and measure the migration of these chemicals into food simulants

This research project aimed to obtain information about chemicals that may migrate from pigments and dyes used in plastic packaging into food.

Results available.

A03046: Chemical migration from silicones used in connection with food contact materials and articles

This research project aimed to identify chemicals in silicones and the extent to which they may migrate into food.

Results available.

A03047: Method development for the analysis of nonylphenol in different types of packaging

This research project aimed to investigate and quantify the levels of nonylphenol, a synthetic chemical, present in a range of packaging types.

Results available.

A03048: Investigation of the migration from decorative shrink sleeves

This research project aims to investigate the potential migration of chemical substances from shrink sleeves used as overwraps on flexible plastic food containers.

Results available.

A03049: An investigation of functional barriers currently used by the food industry and an assessment of their efficacy

This research project aims to obtain information on functional barriers and their food contact applications as relevant to UK consumers.

Results available.

A03050: An investigation of the stability of BADGE in foods and the reaction products formed

This research project investigated the stability of BADGE (bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether), which is a chemical that can be present in coatings, in canned food.

Results available.

A03051: Measurement of packaged food intake by children, by kilogram body weight, to include type of packaging and foodstuff

This research project aimed to investigate the food intake of UK children and the use of associated food contact materials. The project aimed to determine if, and how, the current EU model of 1 kg of packed food per 60 kg person per day should be modified to ensure specific protection against chemical migration into food marketed for children.

Results available.

A03053: Monomer and other chemical migrant levels in food grade plastic

This research project aimed to investigate the variation of monomer and other chemical migrant levels in different samples of food grade plastics.

A03054: An investigation into the reaction and breakdown products from starting substances used to produce food contact plastics

This project investigated reaction and breakdown products formed from the starting substances that are used to make plastic food contact materials.

Results available.

A03055: An assessment of the potential for migration of substances from inks and their associated coatings

This research project investigated the migration potential of substances, including reaction and breakdown products, from inks and their associated coatings used in food contact applications.

Results available.

A03056: Validation of enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) for the determination of latex allergens in food contact materials and associated foods

February 2006 to February 2008

Results available.

A03057: Nonylphenol in food contact plastics and migration into foods

This research project will provide a method validated between laboratories to determine the concentration of nonylphenol in food contact materials and levels present, if any, in packaged foods.

A03060: Development, validation and application of a HPLC-MS-MS method for the determination of primary aromatic amines (PAAs).

This research project will develop and validate a HPLC-MS-MS method for the analysis of individual primary aromatic amines (PAA). The validated method will be applied to samples where there is a high packaging:food mass ratio and to coloured food contact articles.

A03062: Identify chemicals specific to active and intelligent packaging on the UK market and the extent to which they migrate into food, through laboratory based research

This research project will identify chemicals specific to active and intelligent packaging on the UK market and the extent to which they may migrate into food.

A03063: Assessment of current and projected applications of nanotechnology for food contact materials in relation to consumer safety and regulatory implications

This research project reviewed the use of nanotechnology in food contact materials and articles, and assessed applications in relation to consumer safety and regulatory implications in the UK.

Results available.

A03064: Review of the existing use of simulants for migration testing and recommendations for future work/possible modifications

This research project will review the existing use of simulants for migration testing. Recommendations will be made of any changes and/or experimental work needed.

A03066: Investigation into the affect of additives on the migration of substances originating from colourants used in food contact plastics

This research project will investigate the affect of common additives, particularly slip and anti-static agents, on the migration of colourants from food contact plastics.

A03067: Measurement of packaged food intake of selected groups of adults by kilogram body weight to include type of packaging and foodstuff.

This research project aims to measure the average daily intake of packaged food (by kilogram bodyweight) of older adults and students.

A03068: Literature review, analytical screening and chemical migration studies on irradiated food packaging

This research project will investigate the effect of irradiation on chemical migration from food packaging.

A04006: Study of packaging materials used for dietary staples

This research project aims to provide an overview of potential food migration issues that may exist for packaged dietary staples in the UK.

Results available.

A04016: A 4 year rolling programme of surveys on migrants from food contact materials and articles. First year, survey 1: formaldehyde from melamine ware

Graphic version of this page