Importance of profile of volatile and off-odors compounds from different recycled polypropylene used for food applications

Robert Paiva; Magdalena Wrona; Cristina Nerín; Isabelly Bertochi Veroneze; Georgiana-Luminita Gavril; Sandra Andrea Cruz

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129250

Importance of profile of volatile and off-odors compounds from different recycled polypropylene used for food applications

Food Chem. 2021 Jul 15:350:129250. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129250. Epub 2021 Feb 9.

Authors

Robert Paiva¹, Magdalena Wrona², Cristina Nerín³, Isabelly Bertochi Veroneze¹, Georgiana-Luminita Gavril⁴, Sandra Andrea Cruz⁵

Affiliations

¹ Chemistry Department, Center for Exact Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, 10 SP-310, São Carlos, Brazil.
² Department of Analytical Chemistry, Aragon Institute of Engineering Research I3A, CPS-University of Zaragoza, Torres Quevedo Building, María de Luna 3, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
³ Department of Analytical Chemistry, Aragon Institute of Engineering Research I3A, CPS-University of Zaragoza, Torres Quevedo Building, María de Luna 3, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: cnerin@unizar.es.
⁴ Department of Bioinformatics, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, 296 Splaiul Independentei, sector 6, 060031 Bucharest, Romania.
⁵ Chemistry Department, Center for Exact Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), Rodovia Washington Luís, Km 235, 10 SP-310, São Carlos, Brazil. Electronic address: sandra.cruz@ufscar.br.

PMID: 33607412
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129250

Abstract

Nowadays, polypropylene is one of the most common polymers used in the food packaging industry due to its good functionality and relatively low cost. Nevertheless, usage of plastic disposable packaging can be a generator of plastic pollution having negative environmental effects. A feasible solution for this issue would be to recycle. The polypropylene samples were submitted to two processes, forced contamination, and recycling, and they were analyzed by solid-phase microextraction gas chromatograph-olfactometry-mass spectrometry. 45 different volatile compounds were identified and 9 of them presented distinct odoriferous activities. Among them, two important markers were detected: diethyl phthalate (probably coming from the catalyst of PP polymerization, intentionally added substance (IAS)), and glycerine (a marker of non-intentionally added substances (NIAS)).

Keywords: HS-SPME-GC-O-MS; IAS; NIAS; Off-odors; Recycled polypropylene; Volatile compounds.

MeSH terms

Food Contamination / analysis
Food Packaging / methods*
Odorants / analysis*
Polypropylenes / chemistry*
Recycling*
Volatile Organic Compounds / analysis*

Substances

Polypropylenes
Volatile Organic Compounds