According to EFSA (EU), BfR (Germany) and test results of the official food control bodies of the Canton of Zurich (Switzerland), packaging can contain many critical substances, such as benzophenone, bisphenol A, phthalates and mineral oil, among others, up to 1000 mg / kg. These critical substances come from UV-curing paints and lacquers (benzophenone is used as a photoinitiator), adhesives and varnishes (phthalates are used as plasticisers), printing inks (mineral oils) and recycled paper. Due to the high level of recycling of cellulosic materials in In Europe (74.6% of packaging materials as per CEPI 2009), these critical substances can be found in packaging materials In the worst case, the ADI values ​​/ doses (acceptable daily intake) of these substances can be exceeded, so it is important to be sure that these substances can not penetrate from the packaging material into food.

 

     Food packaging is associated with special requirements and restrictions that do not exist for other types of packaging. They appear already at the stage of selecting the packaging material itself, which must meet the requirements related to direct contact with food and migration limits of specific substances that are present in the packaging. The critical substances present in packaging come on the one hand from the possibility of using recycled paper containing paints, varnishes and adhesives, and on the other hand from the migration of freshly applied paint, varnish and glue. The study of such substances, their migration in selected cellulose materials and methods of its reduction through the use of active layers containing additives of substances characterized by the ability to bind such dangerous substances is the scope of the SoLaPack project.

 

     The project will determine the applicability and impact on the formation of stable film-forming compositions of the following adsorption substances: zeolites, cyclodextrins and carriers in the form of modified starch granules, aluminum-silicates, silica / aluminum hydroxide. Because of the practical relevance of the test results, coating compositions will be optimized and applied to commercial papers and tested for their functionality and recyclability.

 

The aim of the project is to verify the concept that the introduction of a sorption layer between the cellulose packaging and the food product will stop the migration of critical substances and thus will have an action to prevent food contamination. In this connection, methods will be developed for the addition of sorption materials to coating compositions intended for the modification of cellulosic packaging materials for the selective binding of benzophenone, bisphenol A, phthalates and mineral oil. As part of the research part, the influence of basic process parameters related to the use of sorption materials (type of material, its quantity, type of film-forming substrate) will be determined while assessing the change in coating thickness, coating weight and coating method. The prepared coating preparations will be used on reference substrates through the use of previously characterized additives and coating-forming substances, where the functionality of the obtained coatings will be examined, inter alia, on the basis of jointly developed detailed migration tests.

 

     The implementation of the project will allow to create a list of recommendations for the sustainable development of the packaging industry based on two overarching principles related to the lack of harmful impact on both the environment and consumers' health.

 

     Technical and economic benefits resulting from the project for Polish SME representatives in the packaging industry result from the direct verification of the possibility of using cheaper cellulosic materials through the use of recycled materials in the form of recovered paper, savings resulting from the possibility of optimized methods of protection against migration of critical substances from cellulose materials (paper industry), increasing profit due to better marketing and new markets (suppliers), increasing market share by improving consumer protection (distributors). Due to the targeted increase in consumer health protection, national packaging companies will benefit from improving the public image of their products in Poland and abroad, which may lead to an increase in market share.

 

     The expected results of the project can be used by producers representing all the links in the packaging production chain and the packaging of food products. This chain includes: packaging paper producers, producers of chemical raw materials and additives, processors of paper and packaging, distributors and end users.