GC method for determining polyadipate plasticizers in foods: Transesterification to dibutyl adipate, conversion to migrating polyadipate

The determination of the migration of polyadipates (plasticizers in PVC) into foods or food simulants for compliance testing involves three principal steps. (1) Adipate from the polyadipate material in the food or simulant is measured through transesterification to the butyl esters directly in the homogenated food, which presupposes tight control of the kinetics. Butyl esters are more easily extracted, and the butanol used for transesterification also serves as principal extraction solvent. (2) To check compliance with the specific migration limit, adipate is determined in the material of a molecular mass below 1,000 Do, which involves preparative pre-separation by size exclusion chromatography followed by transesterification. (3) The migrated polyadipate material is calculated from the adipate measured by a conversion factor determined from the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the polyadipate components <1,000 Da.