NIAS Dosage

NIAS (Non-Intentionally Added Substances) refers to substances that are not intentionally added during the manufacturing of a material or object. They appear as by-products of chemical reactions, residual impurities, degradation products, or through the migration of compounds from recycled materials.

Their presence in materials, particularly those intended for food contact, raises major regulatory and health issues. The measurement of NIAS is therefore essential for characterizing and securing polymeric, plastic, or complex materials, and for demonstrating compliance with European regulations.

Analytical methods

NIAS analysis is based on non-targeted and targeted screening approaches, mainly by chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry:

• GC-MS for the detection and identification of volatile and semi-volatile compounds.
• LC-MS/MS for the analysis of non-volatile, polar or thermosensitive compounds.

These techniques provide a comprehensive profile of the substances present in the material, even when they have not been intentionally added. They are often supplemented by a toxicological assessment based on the chemical structure of the detected compounds (TTC approach: Threshold of Toxicological Concern).

Affected matrices

NIAS assay can be applied to a wide variety of materials:

• Virgin or recycled plastics and polymers
• Glues and adhesives used in packaging
• Printing inks and varnishes
• Complex multi-layer materials for the food industry or cosmetics
• Protective coatings or functional barriers

Industrial applications

• Food packaging : verification of compliance with Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 on plastic materials in contact with food.
• Cosmetics and pharmaceuticals : securing polymeric packaging and containers.
• Recycled materials : detection of contaminants linked to the plastic reuse cycle.
• Innovation : quality control of new materials to assess their safety and durability.

Additional analyses

NIAS dosage can be combined with other services for a complete characterization of materials:

• Global migration tests to measure the total amount of substances released.
• Specific migration assays to target certain regulated molecules.
• Determination of styrene and other residual monomers.
• Dosage of bisphenol A and derivatives to verify regulatory compliance.

This combined approach provides a global and detailed vision of the chemical composition of materials, while facilitating their compliance.

Regulations and quality issues

Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 imposes an obligation to control and declare substances present in plastics intended for food contact. NIAS are specifically mentioned, and their assessment must be carried out using appropriate analyses and a toxicological approach.

The lack of control can lead to a risk of non-compliance or even withdrawal from the market of the products concerned. The NIAS dosage is therefore a strategic tool to anticipate controls, secure marketing and meet the expectations of authorities and consumers in terms of safety and transparency.

YesWeLab expertise

YesWeLab collaborates with partner laboratories specializing in the analysis of materials and polymers, ISO 17025 accredited and some COFRAC recognized. Thanks to our expertise and our digital platform, we facilitate analysis management: online request, sample tracking, and centralized results.

Since 2020, many manufacturers in the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors have entrusted us with their samples for quality control and compliance of their materials.