Tenax Extraction

Simulant Extraction

A laboratory test simulates the migration of volatile and semi-volatile chemicals from packaging materials into dry food. This test uses a porous polymer as a dry-food simulant to attract and collect migrating substances. In the testing of paperboard, tenax extraction is the standard method for evaluating the transport of mineral oils and plasticizers from recycled fibers.

Adsorbent Mechanism

The adsorbent mechanism relies on a porous polymer powder placed in direct contact with the paperboard surface. At elevated temperatures, volatile chemicals evaporate from the board and are quickly caught by the polymer. This process mimics the way dry foods like rice or pasta absorb airborne chemicals from their carton during months of warehouse storage.

Compliance Testing

Measuring the amount of chemicals caught by the adsorbent allows labs to evaluate the safety of the board. After the exposure period, the polymer is washed with a solvent to extract the collected chemicals, which are then analyzed. This method provides a clear picture of what chemicals could migrate into food, helping companies verify that their packaging meets international safety laws before launching new products.

By using this standard, mills and converters can also test the effectiveness of new barrier coatings, seeing directly how much they reduce the migration of potential contaminants under aggressive test conditions.

Fibrous recycled material feeds directly into industrial converting equipment as a continuous sheet substrate is prepared for downstream packaging production and distribution.

FSC-STD-40-004 PEFC ST 2002 Coated Unbleached Kraft

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Polymeric paperboard barrier integrity depends on kinetic diffusion rates and mechanical crease limits verified through certified mass transfer modeling.

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Verification of Supply Chain Certificate Validity and Scope Schedules

Verify certificate status against public scope schedules to ensure product group codes, grammages, and converting sites explicitly cover every delivered batch.

Precision circular sample cutter rests on a steel testing table beside a small corrugated fiberboard disc within a dimly lit industrial facility.

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Paperboard Chemical Additive Retention and Migration Testing Methods

Paperboard chemical retention and migration compliance requires verifying wet-end additive fixation, simulant extractions, and mass transfer kinetic barriers.

Tenax Extraction

Simulant Extraction

Adsorbent Mechanism

Compliance Testing

What the firm knows, published