Food contact materials

Both thermosets and thermoplastics are used as food-contact materials, though thermoplastics predominate in this appfication. Examples of the former are phenol- and urea-formaldehyde, while probably the best known example of the latter is low-density poly(ethylene). Other linear polymers are used include high-density poly(ethylene), poly(propylene), and PVC, all of which find quite extensive use. Polymers for food packaging may be in the form of films and other flexible items, or in the form of rigid containers, such as clear drinks bottles or opaque cartons for dairy products. 

Additional regulations that provide specific requirements for color additives in foods are found in other parts of the CFR. Labeling of food products is found at 21 CFR 101.22(k). Color additives are sometimes called artificial colors or artificial colorings [21 CFR 101.22(a) (4)]. From a regulatory standpoint, a colorant is a dye or pigment used in a food contact material such as a polymer that does not migrate to food. Such materials are regulated as food additives [21 CFR 178.3297(a)], not as color additives. ... 

Boenke a (1997) Activities and current research from the EC Standards, Measurement and Testing Programme (SMT) in the area of food contact materials. Food AdditContamin 14 561-569. 

Physico-chemical instrumental analysis nowadays has greatly suppressed such chemical handwork. An internet website disseminates methods of analysis and supporting spectroscopic information on monomers and additives used for food contact materials (principally packaging). 

D. vanBattumandJ.B.H. van Lierop, Materials and Articles in Contact with Foodstuffs, Guide for Examination of Plastic Food Contact Materials. CEN TC 194/SC1/WG2 Document N118 (1997). 

Project AIR-94/025. Safety and Quality Control of Plastic Materials for Food Contact Materials, Final Report... 

Biedermann M, Grob K (2010) Is recycled newspaper suitable for food contact materials Technical grade mineral oils from printing inks. Eur Food Res Technol (Springer, published online 02 Feb 10)... 

Three Ciba HALS stabilisers are currently approved for use in plastic food-contact materials in Europe (Directive 2002/72/EC, Plastic materials and articles used in contact with food.) These are Chimassorb 944, Tinuvin 622 and Chimassorb 2020. Their chemical structures are given in Figures 31-33, respectively. 

Other less volatile monomers such as those found in acrylic materials are detected and quantified in solution by GC. Derivatisation methods are employed for a wide variety of amine and hydroxyl monomers. CEN (Comite Europeen de Normalisation) has published standard methods for the determination of extractable monomers from food-contact materials. These methods are detailed in Table 10. 

The arsenic in beer incident has led to the rule that all food ingredients must be food grade, as must any food contact materials or materials used in the process. This rule can have the consequence that a material such as coke must be food grade. If a food is to be roasted over coke then that coke must be food grade. A non-food grade coke might, possibly, contain a substance such as arsenic. 

This powerpoint presentation reviews food-contact regulations worldwide with reference to current systems for regulating food-contact materials. These include general safety requirements, licensing/registration, mandatory and voluntary positive lists, no objection letters, and combinations of the above and their applicability to various countries. 

The enforcement in Denmark of EU Directives on food packaging materials is discussed. Enforcement activities considered include studies of total migration from food contact materials, migration from kitchen-and tableware made of melamine plastics and migration of di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate from plasticised PVC films. Activities which need to be undertaken to increase the effectiveness of enforcement activities in the field of migration are described, including development of selfinspection programmes in industry, European network of enforcement, more rapid analysis and provision of information to the consumer. 2 refs. 

The objective of this presentation is to provide an overview of the industry practices to fulfil the obligations in the field of food contact materials and articles, and in addition to discuss elements which are currently not fully covered by legislation. Obligations and burden of proof are discussed with reference to requisites for compliance, evidence of compliance, and liability. 

Directive 89/109/EEC generally requires that the constituents of all food contact material do not transfer to foodstuff in quantities which could endanger human health. 

Where specific Regulations are in force then the methods associated with the Regulations shall be accredited if the control laboratory wishes to offer enforcement of the Regulations to customers. Examples of these are methods of analysis for aflatoxins and methods of analysis for specific and overall migration for food contact materials. 

Migration and formation of nitrosamines from food contact materials. 

The assurance of safety of packaging material encompasses all components, both those added to foods intentionally and those ending up in the food from the food-contact material or processing equipment. 

Bisphenol F (BPF) is a mixture of three isomers 2,2 -, 2,4 -, and 4,4 -dihydroxydiphenylmethane, in the ratio 15%, 50% and 35%, respectively. It has also found application in the manufacture of epoxy resins, but as a fully crosslinked polymer it is rarely used in food-contact materials. Residues of... 

Fourteen isocyanates are currently permitted for use in food-contact materials ... 

Lau, O.-W. and Wong, S.-K. (1997). Mathematical model for the migration of plasticisers from food contact materials into solid food. Anal. Chim. Acta, IM, 249-256. 

MAFF (1996) Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Survey of plasticizer levels in food contact materials and in foods. Food Surveillance Papers No 21, UK... 

Food might become contaminated during production processes and/or cooking due to contact with treated cookware that can release PFCs. However, it must be stressed that the data in general are insufficient to allow for a general evaluation of the contribution of food contact materials to total dietary exposure to PFCs. 

JRC is structured into seven institutes, one of these being the Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP). The IHCP activities are related to genetically modihed organisms, biotechnology, chemicals and risk assessment, nano-biotechnology, exposure to environmental stressors, food contact materials and consumer products, and alternative methods to animal testing (IHCP 2006). 

The data required for the risk assessment in relation to human health can be categorized as data on the identity of the substance, its physico-chemical and toxicological properties, and on exposure. The minimum data set required for a risk assessment depends on the chemical use category (industrial chemical, pesticide, biocide, food additive, food contact material, etc.), the regulation involved, and the goal of the risk assessment. This chapter will focus on the data used in the hazard assessment. 

Use pattern of industrial chemicals can often be characterized as wide and dispersive. The Nordic group noted that this is different from other groups of chemicals for which the use patterns are considered to be more specific. As an example, the Nordic group pointed at food contact materials and flavoring substances. 

There is an obvious risk of misuse if the concept of generic threshold values derived for a specific use (food contact materials and flavorings) is expanded to be used for all kinds of substances, including industrial chemicals, and all possible exposure situations (workers, consumers, and man via the environment). For example, the intended use of GLEV/GEV means use outside the original applicability domain of the concept. 

Often, the output of the hazard (effects) assessment (e.g., the NOAEL) leads directly to the establishment of a regulatory standard, for example the derivation of an acceptable or tolerable daily intake (ADI/TDI) (Section 5.12) for a chemical in relation to a specific use category such as, e.g., pesticide, biocide, food additive, food contact material, etc. 

Uses. A high-production-volume chemical used in manufacture of epoxy-phenolic resins (protective linings for food and beverage cans) monomer for polycarbonate resins (used in food contact materials such as returnable beverage bottles, infant feeding bottles, plates, and mugs) antioxidant in PVC plastics inhibitor of end polymerization in PVC plastics... 

Polymer Transparency Oxygen barrier (mL/m d bar) Water absorbtion (%) Food contact material B iodegradability ... 

Additives that can be added indirectly to food through contact of the food with packaging materials, processing equipment, or other food-contact materials (see 21 CFR 174-178)... 

Research on chemical migration from other types or components of packaging material - e.g. glass, wood, cork, coatings, adhesives - has been carried out sporadically. There is now a concerted UK programme to study chemical migration from these so that problems can be identified and dealt with in a consistent way (Working Party on Chemical Contaminants from Food Contact Materials and Articles, 1999). 

WORKING PARTY ON CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS FROM FOOD CONTACT MATERIALS AND ARTICLES (1999) Review of current research projects, available from the Food Standards Agency, Room 216, P.O. Box 31037, London SW1P 3WG, Tel. No. +44 (0)20 7238 6528, fax +44 (0)20 7238 6124. 

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