Quantification of overall migration levels from poly (vinyl chloride) films: Effects of gamma and electron beam radiation

Abstract

This study investigated the overall migration from Poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) films into food simulants, after gamma irradiation (60 Co) or electron beam radiation. PVC films containing di-(2ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) and epoxidized soybean oil were stored under controlled temperature (24 ± 1 o C) and moisture (50 ± 5%) for 2 days. These films were supported on a stainless-steel plates and specimens were subjected to ionizing radiation treatment with gamma radiation from a 60 Co source (dose rate = 20 Gy.min-1) or electron beam radiation (dose rate = 120 Gy.min-1) at absorbed doses equal to 0, 10, 25 and 50 kGy. Overall packing migrants were evaluated on different food simulants (distilled water, 3 % w/v acetic acid and 10 % v/v ethanol) as a function of time (24, 48 and 72 hours). Results of overall migration levels showed that the treatment with radiation doses above 10 kGy promoted a significant increase of the overall packing migrants levels into all aqueous food simulants (p < 0.05). The increase of overall packing migrants induced by gamma rays or electron beam radiation was associated with radiolysis reaction, which could rise low molecular weight radiolysis products with a higher mobility into food simulants. The increase of discontinuous of polymer due to radiolysis could also explain the increase of packing migrants after irradiation procedure. Overall migration levels were also enhanced with increasing exposure time to food simulants.

Novel Applications of Radiation Technology on the Production of Biodegradable Packaging for the Food Industry

“…A lot of work has been and is still performed to evaluate the suitability of the ionizing irradiation on food packaging materials or prepackaged foods [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40]. As Chmielewski recognizes, the use of processing materials by radiation is at present a wellknown technology and continues to advance constantly in many industrial sectors [41].…”