CEN/TC 172/WG 3 - Analytical methods for the assessment of paper and board in contact with foodstuffs

This document specifies a test method for the determination of aluminium in aqueous extracts.
It is applicable to paper and board with extractable aluminium content of at least 0,2 mg/l.
Aluminium extract levels below those given can be measured using this document if sensitive equipment is available and if all other laboratory conditions fulfil the requirements for trace element analysis.

This document specifies an analytical test method for the determination of anthraquinone (see Table 1) in water and 95 % ethanol extracts of pulp, paper and board materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs using a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Moreover, acetone extracts of modified polyphenylene oxide (MPPO) that, according to EN 14338, can be used as a simulant to assess the possible transfer/migration of substances from paper and board into dry, non-fatty foodstuffs can be analysed with the method presented here.
This method can be applied to determine anthraquinone in concentrations ranging from 2 μg/l to 40 μg/l in the water and solvent extracts, corresponding to 0,05 mg/kg to 1 mg/kg pulp, paper and board or, respectively, 0,1 μg/dm2 to 2 μg/dm2 in the case of migration tests with MPPO. The measurement range can be lowered by enriching anthraquinone from the water and solvent extracts.

This document specifies an analytical test method for the determination of bisphenol A in solvent extracts of paper and board materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs using a high performance liquid chromatograph coupled to a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD).
This method can be applied to determine bisphenol A (see Table 1) in concentrations ranging from 0,025 mg/l to 2 mg/l in the solvent extracts, corresponding to 0,05 mg/kg to 4 mg/kg paper and board. The measurement range can easily be extended up to 40 mg/kg by adjusting the concentration factor of the solvent extract.

This document describes two representative methods for the determination of the extractable amount of specific primary aromatic amines (PAA) in a water extract of paper, board and pulp samples by means of HPLC with MS/MS detection which basically differ concerning the choice of the mobile and stationary phases. Deviating from this standard further methods may be applicable if it can be shown that comparable results can be achieved. A validation should be carried out by each laboratory.
It is applicable for the determination of the 22 primary aromatic amines (PAA) mentioned in the annex of Directive 2002/61/EC of 19th July 2002 amending Council Directive 76/769/EEC relating to restrictions on the market and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (azocolourants) which are classified as carcinogenic categories 1A and 1B according to the CLP regulation and aniline.
The method described by this standard should be also applicable for the determination of further primary aromatic amines (PAA). A validation for every further analyte has to be done by the laboratory using this method.
The extractable amount of a primary aromatic amine (PAA) is expressed in mg PAA per litre water extract. This method is suitable for the determination of PAA with a working range of about 0,001 mg/l - 0,020 mg/l water extract.
Deviating from this standard further methods may be applicable if it can be shown that comparable results can be achieved. A validation should be carried out by each laboratory.

This document describes procedures for the testing of the fastness of fluorescent whitened paper and board intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. Some procedures depending on the foreseeable use of the material are given.
Visual absence of the glass fibre paper’s fluorescence under UV light is evaluated.
For samples having significant different sides, a migration can occur from one glass fibre to the other and could lead to wrong interpretation of the fastness of one side. It is advisable to check these samples using large sampling procedure to prevent cross contamination of the glass fibre during the migration procedure. The procedure is described in Annex A. If lower limit of detection is required, this procedure can also be used.

This document describes procedures for the testing of dyed paper and board intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. Some procedures depending on the foreseeable use of the material are given.
Visual evaluation against a grey scale provides grading of the bleeding.
For samples having significant different sides, a migration can occur from one glass fibre to the other and could lead to wrong interpretation of the fastness of one side. It is advisable to check these samples using large sampling procedure to prevent cross contamination of the glass fibre during the migration procedure. The procedure is described in Annex A. If lower limit of detection is required, this procedure could also be used.

This document is one in a series of Standards for the determination of heavy metals in an aqueous extract of paper or board intended for contact with food. This document specifies the test method for the determination of cadmium, lead and chromium in an aqueous extract.
It is applicable to paper and paperboard with extractable metal contents exceeding
-   0,1 mg per kg for cadmium,
-   0,6 mg per kg for lead,
-   0,25 mg per kg for chromium.
Metal content levels below those given can be measured by this document if very sensitive equipment is available and if all other laboratory conditions fulfil the requirements for trace element analysis.

This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of phthalates in water, solvent and modified polyphenylene oxide (MPPO) extracts of paper and board materials and articles intended for food contact using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
This method is applicable to the determination of phthalates in concentration ranging from 0,002 mg/L to 5 mg/L for water and solvent extracts and 0,0005 mg/dm² to 0,25 mg/dm² for MPPO migration depending on the individual substance and the value of the blank.

ISO 15320:2011 specifies a test method for the determination of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in an aqueous extract of pulp, paper and board. Although it was developed for paper and board intended to come into contact with foodstuffs, it is applicable to all kinds of pulp, paper and board.
The working range for acetylation is 0,05 mg/kg to 0,5 mg/kg.

This European Standard specifies whether a paper or board sample contains substances which may be trans-mitted through the air space to a test substance and affect its taste. It is applicable to all kinds of paper and board, including coated and printed material, intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. It is not applicable for the determination of consumers' preference.

This European Standard specifies the test method for assessment of the odour released by a paper or board sample. It is applicable to all kinds of paper and board, including coated and/or printed material, intended to come into direct or indirect contact with foodstuffs. It is not applicable for the determination of consumers' preference.

This European Standard specifies a test method for the assessment of substitute tests performed with volatile test media for the determination of migration from paper and board intended to come into contact with fatty foodstuffs at all temperatures and for any period of time.
NOTE   At the time that this European Standard was prepared, the EU directives for material coming into contact with food required use iso-octane or 95 % v/v aqueous ethanol.

This European Standard is one in a series of Standards for the determination of heavy metals in an aqueous extract of paper and paperboard intended for contact with food. This European Standard specifies the test method for the determination of mercury in an aqueous extract.
It is applicable to paper and board with extractable mercury content exceeding 0,06 mg per kg.
NOTE 1   The above limit of determination is 5 times below than the actual limit existing today or proposed in Europe.
NOTE 2   Mercury content levels below 0,06 mg per kg can be measured by this European Standard if very sensitive equipment is available and if all other laboratory conditions fulfil the requirements for trace element analysis.

This European Standard describes a method for the determination of the content of diisopropylnaphthalene (DIPN) in paper, board and pulp by solvent extraction. The content of diisopropylnaphthalene (DIPN) is expressed as mg of total diisopropylnaphthalene DIPN isomers per kilogram of paper, board or pulp. This test method is appropriate for the quantitative determination of the content of diisopropylnaphthalene (DIPN) with a limit of determination of about 0,6 mg/kg.

This European Standard specifies a method to assess the transfer or migration of specific volatile and semivolatile substances from paper and board. This test method is developed for paper and board intended to come in contact with dry, non fatty foodstuffs and paper and board for baking purposes. In the last case the modified polyphenylenoxide (MPPO) can be seen as a substitute simulant for fatty contact.
NOTE   MPPO can also be seen as a substitute simulant for olive oil.

This European Standard specifies the determination of formaldehyde in aqueous extracts prepared from paper
and board intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. The limit of determination is 1 mg/kg. This means that
for a paper with a grammage of 100 g/m² the limit of determination will be 0,001 mg/dm².
For contact at room temperature the cold water extract is applied. For paper and board materials intended for
boiling and hot filtering purposes the hot water extract is applied.

This European Standard specifies a procedure for the detection and estimation of pinholes in polymeric layers
on paper and board.
It is applicable to all kinds of polymeric coated paper and board.

This European Standard specifies a test method for the determination of the dry matter content of a hot- or cold-water extract from paper or board. It is applicable to paper and board intended for boiling or filtering of foodstuffs. The lower limit of determination of the method is about 1000 mg/kg of paper. This corresponds to 1 mg/dm2 of a paper with a grammage of 100 g/m2 or 2 mg/dm2 for a board with a grammage of 200 g/m2.

This European Standard gives guidance on a test method which permits the determination of seven specified PCBs in pulp, paper and board. Annex A gives a procedure for estimating the total content of PCB from the congener content.

This document describes procedures for the testing of migration of fluorescent whitening agents from paper and board intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. The method is based on liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection for quantification. The document is applicable to four different types of fluorescent whitening agents, diaminostilbene hexasulfonate, diaminostilbene tetrasulfonate, diaminostilbene disulfonate and distyrylbiphenyl.

This document specifies procedures for the testing of fluorescent whitened paper and board intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. Two procedures are given, procedure A for contact of long duration (e. g. food packaging) and procedure B, for contact of short duration (e. g. napkins, kitchen papers, household papers).

This document describes procedures for the testing of dyed paper and board intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. Two procedures are given. Procedure A for contact of long duration (e. g. food packaging) and procedure B for contact of short duration (e. g. napkins, kitchen papers, household papers).
Visual evaluation against a blank is used only in order to detect any bleeding (yes/no) while evaluation against a grey scale provides grading of the bleeding.

This European Standard is one in a series of Standards for the determination of heavy metals in an aqueous extract of paper or board intended for contact with food. This European Standard specifies the test method for the determination of cadmium and lead in an aqueous extract.
It is applicable to paper and paperboard with extractable metal contents exceeding
-   0,1 mg per kg for cadmium;
-   0,6 mg per kg for lead.
NOTE 1   The above limits of determination are achieved by multiplying the actual limits existing today or proposed in Europe by 0,2.
NOTE 2   Metal content levels below those given can be measured by this European Standard if very sensitive equipment is available and if all other laboratory conditions fulfil the requirements for trace element analysis.

ISO 15320:2004 specifies a test method for the determination of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in an aqueous extract in pulp, paper and board. Though it is developed for paper and board intended to come into contact with foodstuffs, it is applicable to all kinds of pulp, paper and board.

This European Standard specifies whether a paper or board sample contains substances which may be trans-mitted through the air space to a test substance and affect its taste. It is applicable to all kinds of paper and board, including coated and printed material, intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. It is not applicable for the determination of consumers' preference.

This European Standard specifies the test method for assessment of the odour released by a paper or board sample. It is applicable to all kinds of paper and board, including coated and/or printed material, intended to come into direct or indirect contact with foodstuffs. It is not applicable for the determination of consumers' preference.

This European Standard describes procedures for the testing of dyed paper and board intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. Two procedures are given. Procedure A for contact of long duration (e.g. food packaging) and procedure B for contact of short duration (e.g. napkins, kitchen papers, household paper). Visual evaluation against a blank is used only in order to detect any bleeding (yes/no) while evaluation against a grey scale provides grading of the bleeching.

This European Standard specifies a test method for the determination of the quantity of water-soluble dry matter extracts from paper and board by hot and/or cold water. The test method is applicable only to paper and board intended for boiling and/or filtering of foodstuffs.