Packaging serves, among other purposes, to protect the products it contains. When focusing specifically on food and beverages, questions may arise. How can we be sure that the packaging will not degrade upon contact with them? Will the material not contaminate them? European Regulation No. 1935/2004 of October 27, 2004 establishes a number of rules concerning the suitability of materials for contact with foodstuffs. These directives remain in effect in 2020.
General principles of food contact suitability
These requirements apply to all materials that wholly or partially compose a number of objects. They focus on two main themes, which encompass multiple considerations: ensuring the safety of materials and complying with migration limits.
Materials and objects subject to food contact regulations
Packaging and containers, kitchen utensils and receptacles, teats and pacifiers are among the objects covered by the regulations. In addition, materials, machinery, and equipment used in the production, storage, or transport of food and beverages are also subject to these requirements. It should be noted that the regulations apply at all stages of the life of foodstuffs, from production to consumption.
Main risks identified in food contact
Elipso, the professional association representing manufacturers of plastic and flexible packaging in France, has published a guide on packaging materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs, within the framework of customer-supplier relations. This guide includes a risk analysis. These risks are classified into three categories:
- physical risks;
- chemical risks;
- biological risks.
First, the main physical risk is the presence of foreign bodies in the packaging. These may originate from the container itself or from a mechanical part of the production line. Their consequences for the consumer can be severe: choking, intestinal obstructions, etc.
Regarding chemical risks, examples include: migration of components from inks or packaging and contamination by machine lubricants. The effects of these chemical intrusions can be poisoning or more serious long-term illnesses.
Finally, in terms of biological risk, the main concern is contamination by microorganisms. They are responsible for mild or more serious diseases depending on the bacteria or viruses involved.
Preventive measures and controls to ensure food contact suitability
To prevent these risks, good practice guides and standards have been published. They are applied by manufacturers at every stage of the process, from production to sale. In addition, numerous controls are carried out by producers as well as third-party organizations. These include independent analytical laboratories and the DGCCRF, the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control. Finally, storage instructions are sometimes indicated on packaging, particularly for consumers.
Food contact suitability controls
Prior to market release, producers must issue a declaration of compliance with regulations. This document requires, among other things, specification of the constituents of each package and the products that will be contained inside.
Extensive research and analysis are conducted by laboratories to verify the safety of each material. Several parameters are tested: heating, light exposure, acid attacks from certain foodstuffs, etc. The objective is to define the best storage and preparation conditions for each package based on the food and beverages it may contain.
Finally, the DGCCRF conducts post-market and random inspections to verify packaging compliance. An article reports on these findings on this subject. Among them, it appears that only 8% of tested packaging does not comply with regulations. However, the analyzed samples showed that the levels of harmful components in foodstuffs are mostly below the risk thresholds for human health.
Storage conditions for foodstuffs
In some cases, the safety of packaging with respect to its contents depends on end-of-chain storage conditions. Consumers are therefore participants in this guarantee. To this end, food packaging sometimes includes instructions on storage conditions. Thus, some must be kept in a cool, dry place. Others must be stored away from light. Finally, certain foodstuffs must be refrigerated continuously in compliance with cold chain requirements.
A symbol for food contact suitable packaging
How can you tell if packaging is suitable for food contact and complies with the points discussed above? It’s easy—a symbol must be affixed to it. It may take the form of:
- the pictogram combining a glass and a fork;
- the statement “for food contact”;
- the statement “suitable for food”.
However, this requirement does not apply to objects that, by their shape, are clearly intended for contact with food or beverages. These include, for example, glasses, plates, or cutlery. In other cases, if one of these markings is absent, the packaging must not be used to transport or store foodstuffs.
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