Introduction

The patented technology applied to the production of food contact paper/paperboard allows to remove mineral oil, whose aromatic fraction is claimed to be carcinogenic. The paper color is not affected by the silica treatment.

Technical features

In the field of cellulosic-based food packaging, the technologies currently available to reduce the migration of organic contaminants to food are based on the addition of plastic multilayers, aluminum or activated carbon. In all the cases mentioned, the contaminants are not removed from the packaging and the technologies provide for ad hoc production lines. The invention proposed here is able to adsorb and remove toxic (MOSH) and possible carcinogenic (MOAH) contaminants from paper / cardboard without changes to the paper mill production lines, while maintaining the neutral color of the cellulose. The patent application claims the use of suitably modified mesoporous silicas with high affinity for mineral oils. Silicas are thermally regenerable and reusable several times in the paper mill.

Possible Applications

• Food contact paper-based packaging production;
• Oil and petrochemical industry.

Advantages

• Reduction of MOSH and MOAH content in food contact paper-based packaging;
• Production of paper/paperboard of natural color;
• Low economical impact on the paper production chains;
• Deforestation containment through the use of recycled paper.