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Food Contacted Product/Material
European Regulations and Directives
Matters to the marketing/sale of products, materials in the European market as well as testing requirements are stated in EC(European Community) directives which are constantly updated through the use of amendments. European regulations for materials in contact with foodstuffs are based on a framework directive as below.
German Law
In Germany, EC directives regarding contact with foodstuffs have been incorporated into:
- German Food and Feed Code (Lebensmittel - Bedarfsgegenstände-und Futtermittelgesetzbuch (LFGB)), dated 0.09.2005
- Commodities Ordinance, Bedarfsgegenständeverordnung (BGVO), dated 07.01.1998
The LFGB provides a framework of mandatory requirements controlling commodities coming in contact with foodstuffs.
- § 30 LFGB
It prohibits the manufacturing, marketing and treatment of commodities coming in contact with foodstuffs as well as human skin or mucus membranes, which endanger human health through transmission of toxic substances or impurities. - BfR (Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung)
Germany’s BfR (Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung - the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) is regarded as the leading authority in Germany for evaluating plastic materials. Their recommendations represent the present state of the art wherever the LFGB is not specific enough.(e.g. silicone materials)
Examination of synthetic materials coming in contact with foodstuffs
Confirmation of compliance with EC regulations or national regulations should be made available by manufacturers of raw materials. It should be noted that the attestation given by the manufacturer is limited in scope since it is difficult to check limits regarding to the migration of certain substances in raw materials and compliance with requirements.
As random and final testings are required in order to ensure the suitability of plastic products in contact with foodstuffs in the sense of § 30 and §31 LFGB, we consider the following examination procedures to be necessary:
- Check of general manufacturing process and materials
- Sensorial examination: transfer of taste and smell
- Plastics – global migration / specific migration / heavy metal content
- Silicones – migration / volatile organic compounds
- Metal – composition / extractable heavy metals
- Other – other materials or application for specific requirements