National Reference Laboratory for Materials & Packaging

Materials in contact with food include not only packaging but also all materials and articles used in the processing, transportation, handling, and consumption of food. Various types of packaging materials (plastics, paper and cardboard, rubber, metal, glass or ceramic, etc.), adhesives, and printing inks contain chemical substances that provide specific properties and enhance performance. These substances can migrate directly or indirectly into food. Therefore, migration studies to assess potential consumer risks are needed.

LNR

Since 2004, the Packaging Laboratory of the School of Biotechnology has served as Portugal's National Reference Laboratory in the field of materials in contact with food. Over the years, it has enhanced its expertise in testing the food compatibility of packaging materials and compliance with national, European, American, and other legal and regulatory frameworks.

With an experienced technical team and a range of analytical techniques (GC-FID, GC-MS, HPLC, LC-MS, EAA, UV/VIS, DSC, SEM, etc.), the laboratory is equipped to evaluate and study the composition and migration of substances to ensure the safety of materials and packaging.

The laboratory actively collaborates with the packaging and food industries, as well as other sectoral and research institutions, such as the European Joint Research Center, and conducts the following tests:

  • Global migration tests according to current normative and regulatory frameworks (EN 1186 standards, Regulation 10/2011, FDA, among others).
  • Specific migration tests for monomers, additives and contaminants according to recognised analytical protocols and standards.
  • Specific migration estimation using mathematical modelling in line with Regulation 10/2011.
  • Determination of heavy metals in materials and their migration into food using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and Induced conductive plasma (ICP)
  • Screening tests using different techniques to detect and identify unknown volatile and semi-volatile compounds.
  • Sensory evaluation of foreign compounds transmitted from packaging to food.
  • Document analysis and database research for reliable information on legislation and legal requirements for substances used in packaging, particularly outside the scope of Regulation 10/2011.