Migration Threshold
Analytical testing protocols govern mineral oil contamination limits across paperboard substrates intended for food contact applications. European regulations establish strict boundaries regarding the presence of saturated hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons within packaging converters. Laboratories employ automated gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection to quantify specific fractions extracted from recycled fibre webs.
Finished folding boxes must not transfer unwanted compounds exceeding established milligrams per kilogram limits into dry or fatty foodstuffs.
Extraction Limit
Analytical validation requires precise solvent procedures to separate paraffin fractions from natural plant waxes naturally present in wood pulp. Testing facilities apply standardized extraction methods defined by EN 16987 MOSH MOAH protocols to isolate target molecules from complex paper matrices. Sample preparation demands rigorous contamination controls throughout the laboratory workflow because ambient printing inks easily distort baseline measurements.
Quantification focuses on carbon number ranges spanning from ten to fifty to capture volatile fractions alongside heavier polymeric residues.
Barrier Performance
Functional separation layers applied during extrusion coating prevent chemical transfer from corrugated liners into sensitive contents. Converters select specific polymers or bio-based dispersions to block hydrocarbon migration through recycled paperboard containers. Testing regimens evaluate barrier efficacy under accelerated storage conditions by measuring actual transfer rates over designated temperature intervals.
Compliance documentation relies upon these empirical datasets to verify that packaging materials protect consumer health effectively.
