Investigation into the presence of alkaloids in Areca catechu-based single-use food-contact articles (FCA)

In this work, we have developed a method to investigate the presence of four alkaloids and their migration potential from single-use, biodegradable Areca catechu-derived dinnerware. The seeds of Areca catechu palm, commonly referred to as the betel nut, are known to contain high concentrations of four alkaloids: arecoline, guvacoline, areciadine, and guvacine. Migration of these alkaloids into a food simulant was determined using a single-sided migration cell. The results indicate that carboxylic acid alkaloids, arecaidine, and guvacine, preferentially migrate under the experimental conditions which mimic the conditions of use for dinnerware.