Effect of Temperature and Acidity on Migration of Elements from Polymer Packages Into Food

Mohammad W. Kadi

King Abdul Aziz University, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah 21589, (Saudi Arabia)

Migration of contaminants from polymer packages into food has attracted many investigators. Trace elements are among contaminants that are followed and regulated. In this study, the effect of temperature and time of contact on migration has been investigated in both deionized water and 5% nitric acid. The study shows that migration of Ca, Mg, and Zn decreases in general with the increase in temperature. Potassium behaves slightly differently under the same conditions. The use of 5% nitric acid as food simulants leads to an increase in the migration of all four elements compared to that in water.

Migration of elements; Polymer packages; Food simulants