NIAS

What is NIAS?

NIAS (Non-Intentionally Added Substances) are chemicals that unintentionally migrate into substances and materials that come into contact with food, due to factors such as the manufacturing process, raw material quality, degradation, or environmental sources.

NIAS can include monomer residues, reaction by-products, degradation products, and impurities. The presence of NIAS must be closely monitored, as it can pose a potential risk to food safety and public health.

How do risks arise from NIAS?

NIAS can migrate from food contact materials into food and subsequently enter the body.

Furthermore:

• Toxicology and Health Risk: Some NIAS can be carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic.
• Accumulation Potential: They can accumulate in the body over time and pose a serious threat to public health with long-term exposure.
• Lack of Characterization: Many NIAS have not yet been fully identified, and their toxicological properties are still unknown. This complicates risk assessment.

Managing NIAS with Advanced Analyses

Accredited laboratories such as Nanolab utilize advanced and sensitive analytical techniques to determine the presence and quantity of NIAS:

• GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry)
• LC-MS (Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry)
• HS-SPME (Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction)
• Target and Non-Target Analyses (Screening of known and as yet unidentified substances)

These analyses identify the sources and quantities of NIAS, enabling better control of potential public health risks.

NIAS Regulations

The EU, EFSA, and national legislation provide regulations and guidelines concerning the presence of NIAS in food contact materials:

• EU 10/2011 (Plastic Materials and Articles Intended to Come into Contact with Food) – establishes control measures and limits for NIAS.
• EU 2020/1245 – Specifies requirements for migration and NIAS analyses in plastics and related materials.
• BfR (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) – Provides guidelines for the assessment and control of NIAS.
• EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) – Conducts studies on the public health risks of NIAS and publishes guidance documents.