Predicting Packaging Material-Food Interactions and the Respective Migration and Permeation Based on Hansen...

Area of Science:

• Polymer science
• Materials science
• Environmental science

Background:

• Microplastic pollution necessitates biodegradable food packaging.
• Bio-based polyesters are promising alternatives to conventional plastics.
• Cutin, a natural polyester, requires evaluation for food contact applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate cutin's suitability as a food packaging material by assessing migration potential using Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSP).
• To compare migration risks of cutin with other bio-based polyesters like poly(lactic acid) and poly(hydroxy butyrate).

Main Methods:

• Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSP) estimation of cutin through solvent swelling experiments.
• Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to detect chemical structure alterations.
• Calculation of HSP distance (Ra) and Relative Energy Difference (RED) to predict interactions with food components.
• UV-VIS photometry for experimental validation of migration predictions.

Main Results:

• Cutin demonstrated compatibility with low-polarity substances like fats, lipids, and essential oil compounds.
• Predicted migration into fatty foods and sorption/permeation of volatile compounds into cutin.
• HSP analysis indicated a lower overall migration risk for cutin compared to poly(lactic acid) and poly(hydroxy butyrate).

Conclusions:

• HSP serves as a valuable tool for initial screening of migration risks in bio-based food packaging materials.
• Cutin presents a potentially safer bio-based alternative for food packaging, particularly for fatty foods.
• Further experimental validation is crucial to fully assess the extent and significance of migration from cutin-based packaging.