Mass Spectrometry-Based Techniques for the Detection of Non-Intentionally Added Substances in Bioplastics

The safety of food contact materials is a hot topic since chemicals can migrate from packaging into food, thus raising health concerns about and/or producing changes in the organoleptic properties foodstuffs. Migration tests are required to demonstrate compliance with current regulations and investigate transferred compounds. In this context, mass spectrometry analytical technique choice for detection quantitation both intentionally added substances, such as antioxidants, stabilizers, processing aids, non-intentionally substances (NIAS). Untargeted strategies represent major challenge, providing comprehensive fingerprinting material migrating components, allowing NIAS identification. Hyphenated spectrometry-based techniques have been devised screening presence contaminants purposes. Both low-resolution (LRMS) high-resolution (HRMS) methods were screened, special emphasis on latter because its capability directly characterize minimal/no sample preparation, avoiding chromatographic separation, reducing handling, analysis costs, time. Examples related migration existing or newly developed bioplastic will be discussed, an overview most used MS-based methods, covering state-of-the-art approaches 2012 up 2022.