Analytical Protocol
Standardized laboratory procedures quantify the total mass of non-volatile substances transferring from packaging materials and polymer coatings into liquid food simulants under controlled temperature and time conditions. Compliance laboratories conduct en 1186 migration testing to verify that barrier coatings on paperboard packaging do not exceed legal overall migration limits. Standard protocols expose test specimens to volatile liquid simulants such as ethanol, acetic acid, vegetable oil, and synthetic polyethers.
Exposure Procedure
Analytical technicians cut uniform paperboard samples and place them into specialized migration cells exposed to specific liquid food simulants. Immersion cells remain in temperature-controlled ovens for designated test durations representing real-world food contact shelf life conditions. After exposure, technicians evaporate the liquid simulant and weigh the dry non-volatile mass residue using microanalytical balances sensitive to fractions of a milligram.
Coated paperboard packaging passes regulatory thresholds when total extracted matter remains below ten milligrams per square decimetre of food contact surface. Test parameters adjust according to intended food uses, separating dry food applications from high-temperature baking or microwave packaging requirements. Laboratory reports detail simulant exposure types, contact surface areas, and calculated mass transfer values for regulatory review.
Evaluation Boundary
Standardized migration protocols apply specifically to organic coatings, synthetic barriers, and polymer-laminated paper substrates. Reliable execution of en 1186 migration testing ensures paperboard food packaging complies with European chemical safety regulations.
