When we think about food packaging, we often see it as nothing more than a container, overlooking its critical role in ensuring food safety—or, conversely, its potential risks. Thanks to CP-MIMS technology, it is now possible to monitor the migration of contaminants such as BPA and PFAS, potentially harmful substances, in real time. This issue is particularly relevant, especially in light of the European Commission’s recent ban on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in certain food contact materials. Researchers from OnFoods addressed these issues during an international conference, presenting their innovative research findings to the scientific community.

Food packaging serves a crucial barrier for preserving food quality and safety. However, materials commonly used in packaging—such as waxed paper, plastic, foil, and cardboard—are not always chemically inert. They can release contaminants such as bisphenol A (BPA), PFAS, phthalates, and other molecules which may come into direct contact with food and potentially enter the human body. Ensure compliance with safety standards requires precise and innovative analytical techniques, among which CP-MIMS stands out as one of the most promising.

On December 22, the European Commission approved a ban on products containing bisphenol A (BPA), effective from January 20, 2025, under Regulation EU 2024/3190. The ban was introduced in response to concerns over  BPA’ potential adverse effects on the immune system, as highlighted by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Since 2009, France has banned BPA in baby bottles, extending the restriction to all food containers in 2013. Across Europe, BPA was prohibited in baby bottles in 2011 and in receipt paper since 2016. Starting in 2025, the ban will cover a broader range of food containers across all European countries, including reusable plastic bottles, cans, kitchen utensils, and refrigerated water dispensers. The regulation takes effect  on January 20, and products already made with BPA must be withdrawn from the market within 18 months.

PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances), phthalates, and other contaminants also require careful analysis in food-contact packaging. These substances are significantly smaller than macromolecules such as proteins, carbohydrates, or polypeptides. One of the most effective techniques for analyzing such elements is Condensed Phase Membrane Introduction Mass Spectrometry (CP-MIMS), a method that extracts molecules from a liquid, reducing analysis times and enabling real-time monitoring.

OnFoods researchers, Maurizio Piergiovanni and Nicolò Riboni, recently presented their work on this topic at the 11th International Symposium on Recent Advances in Food Analysis (RAFA).

Piergiovanni, a researcher at the University of Parma's Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sustainability, introduced the first CP-MIMS method for monitoring bisphenols released from food packaging.

The research demonstrated the use of a CP-MIMS probe coupled with an electrospray ionization source to detect bisphenols A, E, F, and S in drinking water and food simulants, as well as to track in real-time the migration of bisphenols from plastic packaging.

“CP-MIMS, though seemingly complex and innovative, is an evolution of a technique known for 50 years and more. In this configuration, developed in 2011, it has been primarily used for the rapid and direct analysis of chemical contaminants in complex samples,” explains Piergiovanni. “It has been employed in environmental monitoring (i.e., surface, groundwater, or wastewater) and, to a lesser extent, in biological samples such as urine to quantify drugs and metabolites.”