Tests of potential functional barriers for laminated multilayer food packages. Part I: Low molecular weight permeants.

The advent of the functional barrier concept in food packaging has brought with it a requirement for fast tests of permeation through potential barrier materials. In such tests it would be convenient for both foodstuffs and materials below the functional barrier (sub-barrier materials) to be represented by standard simulants. By means of inverse gas chromatography, liquid paraffin spiked with appropriate permeants was considered as a potential simulant of sub-barrier materials based on polypropylene (PP) or similar polyolefins. Experiments were performed to characterize the kinetics of the permeation of low molecular weight model permeants (octene, toluene and isopropanol) from liquid paraffin, through a surrogate potential functional barrier (25 mu m-thick oriented PP) into the food simulants olive oil and 3% (w/v) acetic acid. These permeation results were interpreted in terms of three permeation kinetic models regarding the solubility of a particular model permeant in the post-barrier medium (i.e. the food simulant).

Simal-Gandara, J., Sarria-Vidal, M., Koorevaar, A., & Rijk, R. (2000). Tests of potential functional barriers for laminated multilayer food packages. Part I: Low molecular weight permeants. Food Additives & Contaminants, 17(8), 703-711. doi:10.1080/02652030050083222.

Status of Physics-Based Models in the Design of Food Products, Processes, and Equipment.

This article is part of a collection entitled “Models for Safety, Quality, and Competitiveness of the Food Processing Sector”. Modeling, in particular physics-based modeling, can be an important tool to food product, process, and equipment designers by reducing the amount of experimentation (thus reducing the time and expenses involved) and by providing a level of insight that is often not possible experimentally. Food processes involve unique physics and challenges compared to other types of materials processing such as polymers and ceramics. These include complex multiphase transport and multiphysics that are difficult to implement in the available software, and often drastic changes in material properties during processing for which data are unavailable.

Datta, A. (2008). Status of Physics-Based Models in the Design of Food Products, Processes, and Equipment. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science & Food Safety, 7(1), 121-129. doi:10.1111/j.1541-4337.2007.00030.x.

The new European Legislation on Food Additives, Flavourings and Enzymes.

The article offers information on the Food Improvement Agents Pack (FIAP) regulations of the European Commission (EC) for food additives and flavourings. It states that under the Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, substances used as food contents, plants chemicals and water treatment are included to the rule if they are applied as food additives. It also mentions the Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008, which covers all types of food flavorings and forbids selling without prior compliance to the regulation.

Holtorf, M., & Sachs, G. (2010). The new European Legislation on Food Additives, Flavourings and Enzymes. European Food & Feed Law Review, 5(3), 173-178. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.