Food Contact Materials – What Are They?
In the packaging industry, the term food contact materials come up frequently. For us, it’s part of everyday language, but for many it may sound unfamiliar. So what does it really mean? Simply put, a food contact material is any material or article that comes into contact with food. This can mean both direct and indirect contact. Common examples include a coffee cup, a salad container or a bread bag.
Direct food contact materials are those that are in direct contact with food. For example, a plastic container for salad, a paper bag for apples, or aluminium foil inside a biscuit package.
Indirect food contact materials are those that do not touch the food directly but are still in contact with it. A good example is a carton outer box containing biscuits packed in plastic. Even though the carton doesn’t touch the biscuits, it still affects the safety and preservation of the food and is therefore counted as a food contact material. The cardboard sleeve around a yoghurt pot is another example of an indirect food contact material.
Food contact materials defined in legislation
According to EU Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004, there are 17 categories of food contact materials. These also include active and intelligent materials and articles. Active materials are designed to protect or even extend the shelf life of the packaged food. Intelligent materials, on the other hand, monitor the condition of the packaged food – such as indicators that show temperature changes. In practice, food contact materials often combine several materials to achieve the required properties.
Food contact materials are all around us: in packaging, dishes, cutlery, but also in machine and equipment parts, conveyor belts and surfaces where food is handled. Adhesives, printing inks and coatings are also part of the whole. Materials may be plastic, paper and board, metal, glass, ceramics, wood, rubber, textiles or combinations of these.
Why does it matter? Because food contact materials must be safe. They must not transfer anything harmful to food, and they must not alter its taste, smell or structure. That’s why food contact materials are covered by their own legislation and why their safety is carefully controlled.
The Declaration of Compliance ensures packaging safety
A key element of safety is the Declaration of Compliance (DoC). For every material intended to come into contact with food, there must be a document confirming that it meets the required standards. The main purpose of the DoC is to demonstrate that the packaging complies with the EU Framework Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 as well as material-specific legislation, such as the Plastics Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011. In addition, the declaration must contain all the information that allows the customer to verify that the packaging complies with legislation and is suitable for its intended use.
In practice, this means that the customer can rely on the packaging: no surprises, documents are in order and use is safe. The Declaration of Compliance is provided by the manufacturer or importer of the packaging and accompanies the product through all stages of trade, except retail.
At Ki-Sal, every packaging product always has the appropriate and up-to-date documentation. We make sure our packaging is both practical and safe, so our customers don’t need to spend time chasing documents or interpreting EU legislation. We want our customers to be able to focus on their core business and leave the documentation to us. We are always ready to advise and support our customers in choosing the right packaging materials and in questions related to legislation.
When food contact materials are in order and all requirements are met, you can trust that the packaging is safe and of high quality. The result: food stays fresh and protected in the packaging – all the way to the table.
