Eco-sustainable food packaging: Biobased multi-active films to mitigate migration of mineral oils and polyolefin oligomeric saturated hydrocarbons

The migration of mineral oils from recycled paper and cardboard packaging to food has raised increasing concerns in recent years. In addition to mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH), polyolefin oligomeric hydrocarbons (POH), a class of synthetic hydrocarbons derived from the polymerization of olefins such as ethylene and propylene, and often analytically mistaken for MOH, also pose a risk. POH can migrate from plastic materials into food, especially those made with polyolefins like polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), which are widely used in food packaging (films, trays, containers, etc.). Several solutions have been proposed, and others are still under development to address this issue. Currently, the most promising approach is the introduction of polymeric materials as a barrier to prevent the migration of these contaminants. The primary aim of this review is to provide an updated overview of the migration of MOH and POH from conventional packaging materials into foods, the parameters influencing this process, recent advances in innovative eco-sustainable barrier materials, and the testing methods used to measure their migration. Special attention is given to biopolymers, as they enhance the sustainability of paper and cardboard packaging while maintaining their recyclability.