Non-plastic food contact materials

Food contact materials (FCMs) refer to materials and articles intended to be in contact with food, such as packaging, containers, kitchen equipment, cutlery, and dishes. Non-plastic FCMs consist of materials other than plastic such as paper, cardboard, coatings, adhesives, printing inks, rubber, wood, metal, glass, and ceramics.

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Most non-plastic FCMs are not covered by specific European legislation.

Instead, they are covered by general requirements, regulations at national level and/or specific manufacturing guidelines.

EFSA receives requests from the European Commission to assess the risks to human health in specific cases such as from substances in or migrating from coatings or printing inks.

These requests for ad hoc scientific assessments may also come to EFSA in response to an alert from the EU’s food safety alerting tool, the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).

Milestones

2019
EFSA publishes a report on a partnering grant project on the safety evaluation of materials intended for varnishes and coatings on food contact materials.
2013
EFSA established the Scientific Network on Food Contact Materials in October 2013 as a platform for cooperation with EU Member States on risk assessment activities and approaches of mutual interest.
2011
EFSA publishes a report on scientific cooperation on the safety evaluation of non-plastic FCMs.
2009
EFSA publishes a statement on possible health risks related to the consumption of 4-methylbenzophenone, a chemical used in printing inks for food packaging.
2007
EFSA publishes a statement on the possible health risks related to ITX, a substance used in inks applied to packaging materials including cartons.
2006
EFSA evaluates the safety of epoxidised soybean oil, a substance used as a plasticiser in glass jar seals.
2005
EFSA evaluates the safety of the chemical substance semicarbazide in food packaged in glass jars.
EFSA evaluates the safety of ITX, a substance used in inks applied to packaging materials including cartons.

EFSA's role

EFSA’s scientists produce scientific advice for the European Commission and national legislators on the safety of substances used or intended to be used to manufacture materials which come into contact with food.

Although EU legislation does not require EFSA to evaluate the safety of all non-plastic food contact materials, we respond to requests from the European Commission for these types of evaluations on an ad hoc basis.

Our expert Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) is responsible for these assessments, which are based on a review of the scientific evidence and data submitted by applicants as well as the scientific literature.

Topic: Food contact materials

EU framework

Food contact materials (FCMs) must be manufactured in compliance with EU regulations, including Good Manufacturing Practices as described in Regulation EC 2023/2006.

General requirements for all FCMs are laid down in Framework Regulation EC 1935/2004. Any potential transfer of chemicals to foods must not raise safety concerns, change the composition of the food in an unacceptable way or have adverse effects on quality (for instance, taste and/or odour).