Meaning
A standardized extraction medium represents fatty foods in laboratory-based migration testing of plastic food-contact materials. In the evaluation of polymer packaging, simulant d2 vegetable oil is used to simulate the extraction behavior of fatty substances like dairy products and meats.
Analytical Testing
Testing is conducted at specific temperatures and times to simulate the intended storage conditions of the product. When using simulant d2 vegetable oil, laboratories measure the amount of additives or monomers that migrate from the plastic into the oil after the exposure period. This test requires sensitive analytical techniques because the vegetable oil matrix is complex and can interfere with the analysis of the migrants.
Processing Challenges
Moulders must ensure that their products can withstand exposure to fatty simulants without undergoing excessive swelling or degradation. If a polymer has a high affinity for simulant d2 vegetable oil, it can absorb the oil and lose its structural integrity, which can lead to premature failure of the container during the test. This sensitivity is particularly common in low-density polyethylene films.
Alternative Simulants
Because of the practical difficulties of analyzing vegetable oil, regulations allow the use of substitute stimulants under specific conditions. Choosing an alternative is often preferred to simplify the extraction process and reduce the time required to complete the migration testing.
