Antioxidants and their migration into food simulants on irradiated LLDPE film

Effects of γ-irradiation on residual and migration levels of antioxidants, tris-(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphite (Irgafos 168) and octadecyl-3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate (Irganox 1076), and their radiolysis products were investigated in the linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) packaging samples treated at doses from 0 to 200 kGy. The content of Irgafos 168 was not detected in 5 kGy treated samples and the content of Irganox 1076 decreased by 34.9% from the initial level in 10 kGy treated samples. The radiolysis products, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTBP), 1,3-di-tert-butylbenzene (1,3-DTBB), and toluene were identified and their concentrations gradually increased as the irradiation dose increased. Migration of Irgafos 168 from the LLDPE pouch into food simulants, distilled water, acetic acid (4 ml/100 ml distilled water) or ethanol (20 ml/100 ml distilled water), was not detected at dose levels up to 200 kGy while that of the Irganox 1076 was detected in a decreasing mode with increasing dose.