MS-DIAL as efficient tool for the food safety assessment of volatile substances in disposable tableware

In this work, the food safety of disposable tableware with different compositions and uses has been studied. Migration tests of nine commercially disposable tableware made of polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and cardboard have been performed in four food simulants (ethanol 10 %, ethanol 95 %, acetic acid 3 % and Tenax ®) and analysed by direct-immersion solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DI-SPME-GC-MS). Mass Spectrometry Data Independent Analysis (MS-DIAL) software was used for identifying the volatile migrants and proved to be a huge step forward to perform non-target analysis in food contact material samples compared to traditional approaches. Our study detected a wide range of additives like plasticizers, lubricants, and inks and non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) like degradation products from polystyrene (oligomers) and polypropylene along with degradation products of antioxidants and UV stabilizers. More than 80 % of the compounds found were non listed substances (NLS) and their potential toxicological risk was estimated on the basis of Cramer’s rules. • PP, PS and Carboard have been analysed by SPME-GC-MS. • Numerous IAS and NIAS have been detected: plasticizers and oligomers. • MS-DIAL increased migrants identified and reduced analysis time. • About 75 % of migrants detected were not covered by European legislation. • MS-DIAL is a step forward in the harmonisation of safety assessments of FCMs.