A migration study measured heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As, Hg, Sb, Sn, Ge, Co, Mn) leaching from 120 disposable food containers (paper and plastic) collected from South Korean markets into food simulants. The study represents a supply-chain exposure pathway distinct from intrinsic food contamination: metals potentially transferred from packaging to food during use. Health risk assessment was conducted for the detected migration levels.
Key numbers
- n = 120 disposable food containers (paper + plastic)
- Metals measured: Pb, Cd, As (total), Hg (total), Sb, Sn, Ge, Co, Mn
- Migration measured into food simulants (specific concentrations not extracted at classification stage; see full paper for values)
- Jurisdiction: South Korea
- Method: ICP-based analysis of food simulant extracts
Methods (brief)
Migration testing using food simulants per standard protocols. ICP analysis (specific instrument not confirmed at classification stage). No speciation for As or Hg — measures tAs and tHg, not iAs or MeHg.
Implications
Certification: Relevant to packaging and supply-chain migration as an exposure pathway. Not a food ingredient occurrence study but provides context for packaging-related contamination in the supply chain. Courses: Illustrates how food contact materials contribute to dietary metal exposure independently of intrinsic food contamination. App: Not directly applicable for ingredient-level contamination profiles; relevant to supply-chain pages.