Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Gas barrier properties are essential in food packaging to protect products from oxygen ingress, which can cause lipid oxidation, vitamin loss, and microbial spoilage.
Different polymers are selected based on their resistance to gas permeation.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the oxygen barrier properties of the listed plastics:
- Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN, A): This polyester has a highly rigid molecular structure that provides excellent barrier properties, with an oxygen permeability that is 4 to 5 times lower than that of standard PET. Thus, (A) is a barrier material.
- Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol (EVOH, B): This copolymer is one of the most widely used oxygen barrier materials in food packaging due to its high crystalline structure, providing an exceptional barrier against oxygen under dry conditions. Thus, (B) is a barrier material.
- Nylon MXD6 (C): This semi-crystalline aromatic polyamide provides a superb barrier against oxygen and carbon dioxide, and is frequently used in multi-layer structures. Thus, (C) is a barrier material.
- Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA, D): This copolymer is flexible and is used primarily as a low-temperature heat-sealing layer. It has poor barrier properties to gases. Thus, (D) is not a gas barrier material.
Therefore, materials (A), (B), and (C) are used as oxygen barrier materials.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The plastic materials used as oxygen barriers are (A), (B), and (C) only. Hence, the correct option is (D).