Modern Procedures for Removal of Hazardous Compounds From Foods

Abstract

This chapter deals with interactions between foods or food additives and plastic package materials oriented to elimination of hazardous compounds from foods. As found, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be effectively eliminated from liquid smoke flavors and smoked meat products by migration of PAHs into low-density polyethylene (LDPE), when the limiting factor of the elimination is diffusion in food matrix. After leaving food bulk, PAHs migrate deeper into LDPE bulk what brings about permanent renewal of material imbalance on LDPE/food matrix interface that maintains the migration process in an intensive regime causing extensive lowering of PAH content in food matrix. To the opposite, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in contact with vegetable oils is able to absorb only PAHs on active center deposited on its surface without deeper migration into plastic bulk and therefore this type of elimination process is less effective. Overall, migration processes are affected by polarity of food matrix and package materials, presence of compounds able to compete for adsorption center on PET surface, the time of interactions, and, of course, imbalance of PAH chemical potentials in individual systems.

Keywords: Diffusion; Food contaminants; Food safety; Foods–plastics interactions; Low-density polyethylene; Migration; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polyethylene terephthalate.