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Fucus spp. seaweeds thrive in the cold temperate waters of the northern hemisphere, specifically in the littoral and sublittoral regions along rocky shorelines. Moreover, they are known to be a rich source of bioactive compounds. This study explored the valorization of Fucus spiralis through the extraction of bioactives and polysaccharides (PSs) for food applications and biostimulant use. The bioactives were extracted using microwave hydrodiffusion and gravity (MHG), where the condition of 300 W for 20 min resulted in the highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the extract. Cellular assays confirmed that the extract, at 0.5 mg/mL, was non-cytotoxic to HaCat cells. Polysaccharides (PSs) were extracted from the remaining biomass. The residue from this second extraction contained 1.5% protein and 13.35% carbohydrates. Additionally, the free amino acids and minerals profiles of both solid residues were determined. An edible film was formulated using alginate (2%), PS-rich Fucus spiralis extract (0.5%), and F. spiralis bioactive-rich extract (0.25%). The film demonstrated significant antioxidant properties, with ABTS and DPPH values of 221.460 ± 10.389 and 186.889 ± 36.062 µM TE/mg film, respectively. It also exhibited notable physical characteristics, including high water vapor permeability (11.15 ± 1.55 g.mm.m−2.day−1.kPa−1) and 100% water solubility. The residues from both extractions of Fucus spiralis exhibited biostimulant (BS) effects on seed germination and seedling growth. BSs with PSs enhanced pea germination by 48%, while BSs without PSs increased the root dry weight of rice and tomato by 53% and up to 176%, respectively, as well as the shoot dry weight by up to 38% and up to 74%, respectively. These findings underscore the potential of Fucus spiralis within the framework of a circular economy, wherein both extracted bioactives and post-extraction by-products can be used for sustainable agriculture and food applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper and board are widely used as food contact materials. For such sensitive applications, consumer safety regarding the transfer of chemical components and contaminants to the food needs to be established. Such safety assessments are becoming increasingly challenging not only due to intentionally added substances but also non-intentionally added substances. In the European Union, compliance testing and safety evaluation of paper in food contact are largely based on national legislation and standards. The underlying tests are conventional methods, often overestimating and sometimes underestimating the migration into food. In this article, the relevant standard test methods are contrasted with currently available scientific knowledge. The scientific approaches to develop and identify suitable test methods are critically reviewed. Furthermore, theoretical predictions via mathematical modeling, with the aim to realistically simulate transfer to food, are presented and discussed in comparison with available migration studies with foods. Objectives are to (i) summarize the actual scientific knowledge in the field and draw conclusions regarding the potential and limitations of the existing test methods and (ii) identify research gaps toward a better qualitative and quantitative understanding of transport processes of volatile and non-volatile substances from paper and board into foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been investigated due to their distinct properties, variety of structures and sizes, and mainly for their antimicrobial activity. They have received a positive safety evaluation from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for packaging applications as transparent ultraviolet (UV) light absorbers based on the absence of significant migration of zinc oxide in particulate form. ZnO NPs with different morphologies (spherical, flower, and sheet) have been synthesized via different sol–gel methods and extensively characterized by several solid-state techniques, namely vibrational spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms. The ZnO NPs were assessed for their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (gram-negative bacteria) and Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive bacteria) to study the influence of morphology and size on efficacy. ZnO NPs with different morphologies and sizes demonstrated antimicrobial activity against both bacteria. The highest microbial cell reduction rate (7–8 log CFU mL−1 for E. coli and 6–7 log CFU mL−1 for S. aureus) was obtained for the sheet- and spherical-shaped NPs as a result of the high specific surface area. In fact, the higher surface areas of the sheet- and spherical-shaped nanoparticles (18.5 and 13.4 m2 g−1, respectively), compared to the flower-shaped NPs (5.3 m2g−1), seem to promote more efficient bacterial cell reduction. The spherical-shaped particles were also smaller (31 nm) compared with the flower-shaped (233 × 249 nm) ones. The flower ZnO NP resulted in a 4–5 log CFU mL−1 reduction for E. coli and 3–4 log CFU mL−1 reduction for S. aureus. The lower apparent antibacterial activity of the flower-shaped could be associated with either the lack of defects on the particle core or the shape shielding effect. Compared to S. aureus, E. coli seems to be less resistant to ZnO NPs, which may be explained by the characteristics of its cell membrane. With simple synthesis techniques, which do not allow the size and shape of the nanoparticles to be controlled simultaneously, it is a challenge to elucidate the effect of each of these two parameters on antibacterial performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: EU policies towards a circular economy address plastic packaging as one of the significant concerns and sets ambitious recycling targets. Polyolefins (POs) cannot be recycled for food contact using conventional polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling approaches. Thermal degradation prevents the use of high temperatures and, consequently, decontamination of POs may be insufficient when using lower temperatures. Polypropylene (PP) beverage cups were decontaminated using supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide (scCO2). Decontamination efficiencies (DEs) of selected markers were determined in challenge tests following European Food Safety Authority guidelines. The effects of time (10-60 min) for PET, polylactic acid (PLA), and PP and temperature (60-80 °C) for PP were studied at constant pressure. The physical properties, sensorial properties, and overall migration of treated scCO2 PP were analysed and compared with virgin PP. RESULTS: PP showed the highest average DE, and PET the lowest, for all the surrogates and in all time conditions. A relative increase in the DE with the increase in process time, particularly for PET and to some extent for PLA, was seen. For PP, no significant impact of time and temperature was observed under the conditions tested. The DE of volatile surrogates was higher than that of semi-volatiles. Results indicate that the scCO2 treatment did not affect the physical and sensorial properties, nor the overall migration of PP, although it contributes to a considerable reduction in extractable n < C24 alkanes. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that scCO2 can be used to decontaminate post-consumption PP beverage cups with higher DEs than those for PET and PLA, applying mild processing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A screening exercise targeting ortho‐phthalates in 22 plastic baby bibs collected in the European market was performed. A GC–MS method was used with a limit of detection ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 mg kg−1 bib. The most frequently detected phthalates were di‐n‐butyl phthalate (DBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) in nearly all samples. DIBP was detected at concentrations suggesting its intended use. Overall, the highest levels were detected for benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), with six samples presenting concentration from 13 to 47 mg kg−1 and one sample with the highest value of 65 mg kg−1. Results indicate that several non‐authorised phthalates are intentionally used either in the plastic or in the printing inks. Worst case migration calculations indicate that diethyl phthalate (DEP), DAP and DIBP exceed the limit of 0.01 mg kg−1. Therefore, determination of experimental migration is needed to conclude on compliance of baby bibs with the European and Swiss legislation. Bibs are articles that fall in the scope of the definition of FCMs accordingly to European legislation. Therefore, they should comply with the applicable rules, restrictions and limits. These articles should be included in surveillance plans, focusing on monitoring bib composition, migration and the application of good manufacturing practices by industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and accessible gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method was developed to determine photoinitiators (PIs) in plastics for food contact and their migration into Tenax®. The method showed analytical performance suitable for compliance assessment. The limit of detection values found were as follows: for benzophenone and 4‐(4‐morpholinyl)benzaldehyde ~3 μg kg−1 food (6 dm2 kg−1 food), for 4‐methylbenzophenone and ethyl‐4‐(dimethylamino)‐benzoate ~1.5 μg kg−1 food and for 2‐ethylhexyl 4‐(dimethylamino)benzoate ~43 μg kg−1 food. For all the other PIs studied, limits of detection lower than 1 μg kg−1 food were found. The method was applied to analyse samples of plastic baby bibs collected in European market. Results indicate that several unauthorised PIs are in use to print bibs. The most commonly detected PIs were benzophenone detected in nearly all samples and isopropylthioxanthone quantified in 12 out of 22 samples. Several non‐evaluated PIs were detected: triphenyl phosphate, 2‐ethylanthraquinone, 2,2‐dimethoxy‐2‐phenylacetophenone, 4‐(4‐methylphenyltio)benzophenone, 1‐hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone and 4,4′‐bis(diethylamino)‐benzophenone. These two latter PIs were found at the highest concentration (more than 100 μgg−1). Testing a selection of samples for migration into Tenax® gave results exceeding the applicable migration limit for 1‐hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone with 0.532 mg kg−1 (specific migration limit = 0.01 mg kg−1) and for methyl 2‐benzoylbenzoate with 0.182 mg kg−1 (specific migration limit = 0.05 mg kg−1). Although the results may be affected by a certain overestimation degree given the experimental conditions, they certainly flag an area of potential interest for surveillance and more detailed risk evaluation, particularly because bibs are often not seen by industry as food contact materials, and surveillance actions are not systematically acted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]