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Eurofins >> Consumer Product Testing >> Media Centre >> News >> Food Contact Materials | Monthly bulletin | September 2019

Food Contact Materials | Monthly bulletin | September 2019

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Eurofins newsflash Food Contact Materials

 

Europe

 

Amendment of Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on food contact plastic materials

 

On 9th August 2019, the European Commission published:

 

COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2019/1338 of 8 August 2019 amending Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food

 

Read more >>

 

Regulatory updates

 

Below a summary table with recent regulation proposals notified to European Commission (Non-exhaustive):

 

Notification number

Countries

Title

2019/342/NL

Netherlands

Decree of [date to be inserted] amending the 2014 Packaging Management Decree regarding the inclusion of a target for the separate collection of plastic beverage bottles and amendments to the provisions on deposits for beverage packaging (Decree on measures for plastic beverage bottles)

 

The draft measure requires:

 

  1. A producer or importer who places beverages in plastic bottles with a volume of 3 litres or less shall collect separately at least 90 percent by weight of the total amount of these bottles, including caps and lids  in that calendar year
  2. A producer or importer who places water or soft drinks in plastic bottles with a volume of 3 litres or less shall charge deposits on such bottles and to accept returns of such bottles after use with repayment of the deposit

2019/346/F

France

Decree on the prohibition of certain single-use plastic products

 

The draft decree provides the definitions and characteristics of single-use plastic products covered by the prohibitions on provision. The prohibitions will come into force gradually; in 2020 for some products, in 2021 for others, in accordance with Directive 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment

 

Standards updates

 

Below a summary table with some recent standards updates and upcoming dates of withdrawal (non-exhaustive):

 

(*) Date of availability: date when the definitive text in the official language versions of an approved CEN/CENELEC publication is distributed by the Central Secretariat.

 

Reference

Title

Date of Available  (*)

Supersedes

CWA 17433:2019

Mapping of Future needs of standardisation in the paper and board sector for food contact applications

2019-07-03

 

 

For a safe Paper and cardboard packaging

 

On 25th July 2019, the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) published a report about food packaging made of colored paper and cardboard.

 

Laboratory test results contained in this report, indicate found chemicals in products such as coffee cups and straws which may be contained and released originating from the inks.

 

Paper is the second most used food packaging material and the alternative to plastic. For this reason BEUC makes a call to European Commission to have this material in contact with food regulated.

 

Click here for reading the BEUC’s publication.

 

UK

 

Less Toxic chemicals at home

 

On 16th July 2019, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) published its report about toxic chemicals around us at home.

 

One of the main points of this report makes reference to chemical substances in food contact materials.

 

EAC recommends that manufactures and importers are more transparent about the chemicals used and and recommends UK Government to ban the use of some chemicals in food contact materials.

 

 

US

 

Standards updates

 

Below a summary table with some recent ASTM standards updates:

 

Reference

Title

ASTM C895 - 87(2019)

Standard Test Method for Lead and Cadmium Extracted from Glazed Ceramic Tile

 

New substances added to FDA inventory of Effective Food Contact Substances

 

The following substances have been recently added to the Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substances (FCS) Notifications of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

 

FCN number

Substances

Date

1988

Phosphorous acid, cyclic neopentanetetrayl bis(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl) ester (CAS Reg. No. 26741-53-7)

Jun 25, 2019

1986

An aqueous mixture of peroxyacetic acid (PAA) (CAS Reg. No. 79-21-0), hydrogen peroxide (HP) (CAS Reg. No. 7722-84-1), acetic acid (AA) (CAS Reg. No. 64-19-7), 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) (CAS Reg. No. 2809-21-4), and optionally sulfuric acid (SA) (CAS Reg. No. 7664-93-9)

Jun 25, 2019

1985

2-(dimethylamino)ethanol (CAS Reg. No. 108-01-0)

Jun 15, 2019

1981

Silver-magnesium-zinc-aluminum-calcium-sodium-borate-phosphate glass

Jun 5, 2019

1980

N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)alkyl(C13-C15) amine (CAS Reg. No. 70955-14-5)

Jun 4, 2019

1979

N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)alkyl(C13-C15) amine (CAS Reg. No. 70955-14-5)

Jun 4, 2019

 

China

 

New and expanded use of additives for food contact materials

 

On 22nd July 2019, the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China published an Announcement which approved eight new food contact substances:

 

Food contact additive with expanded scope

Product name

CAS number

Scope of use

Maximum usage / %

Sodium acetate

127-09-3

Plastic: ethylene - vinyl alcohol copolymer ( EVOH )

Appropriate level

Phosphoric acid

7664-38-2

Plastic: ethylene - vinyl alcohol copolymer ( EVOH )

Appropriate level

Potassium dihydrogen phosphate

7778-77-0

Plastic: ethylene - vinyl alcohol copolymer ( EVOH )

Appropriate level

New food contact additive

Product name

CAS number

Scope of use

Maximum usage / %

Oxirane, (chloromethyl)-, polymer with 4,4'-methylenebis[2,6-dimethylphenol]

113693-69-9

Coating and coating film

Appropriate level

New food contact resin

Product name

CAS number

Scope of use

Maximum usage / %

Formaldehyde, polymer with 2-methylphenol, 3-methylphenol, 4-methylphenol, butyl ether

298689-79-9

Coating and coating film

5

Vinyl chloride- vinyl acetate- maleic acid terpolymer

9005-09-8

Coating and coating film

4.5

1,4-cyclohexamedimethanol polymer with trimethylol propane, neopentyl glycol, adipic acid, isophthalic acid and maleic anhydride

-

Coating and coating film

65

Formaldehyde, polymer with 4,4'-(1-methylethylidene)bis[phenol]

25085-75-0

Coating and coating film

10

 

 

Mercosur

 

Publication of positive list of additives in materials in contact with food

 

On 15th July 2019, the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) published technical regulation Nº 39/19 on positive list of additives with restrictions of use and specifications for the elaboration of plastic materials and polymer coatings intended to be in contact with food. It repeals GMC resolution no. 07/32.

 

International

 

Regulatory updates

 

Below a summary table with some recent regulation proposals notified to World Trade Organization:

 

Notification number

Countries

Title

G/TBT/N/JPN/630

Japan

Revision of the Standards and Specifications for Foods and Food Additives under the Food Sanitation Act

 

Establishment of specifications and standards for utensils, containers, and packaging made of synthetic resins

 

Product Recalls/Alerts

 

Below you will find a monthly summary of product recalls and alerts in Europe (Source “RASFF”) and in the US (Source “CPSC”).

 

Europe

 

RASFF (European Commission Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed - Alerts reported by EU national authorities).

 

The following 26 alerts regarding Food contact materials have been reported, from 15th July until 20th August of 2019.

 

Product

Substance / Hazard

Stainless steel and nylon pliers

Absence of certified analytical report

Details

Drinking bottle

Deterioration of organoleptic characteristics (strong off-odour and off-taste) of food in contact with drinking bottle

Details

Vegetable cutter

Material abrading

Details

Ceramic slow cooker

Migration of aluminium (85 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Tajine plate and cover

Migration of arsenic (0.024 mg/l) and of aluminium (7.1 mg/l)

Details

Plastic cups

Migration of benzophenone (2.1 mg/kg - ppm) and of 4-methylbenzophenone (0.12 mg/kg - ppm

Details

Set of glasses

Migration of cadmium (1.95 mg/item) and of lead (39 mg/item)

Details

Steak knife

Migration of chromium (0.6 mg/kg – ppm)

Details

Kitchen knives

Migration of chromium (4.8; 5.3; 5.2 mg/kg - ppm) and of nickel (0.9; 0.99; 1.0 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Bamboo fiber bowls

Migration of formaldehyde (108.54; 187.54; 121.12 mg/kg - ppm) and of melamine (5.09; 7.78; 8.4 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Dinner set

Migration of formaldehyde (24.6 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Bamboo fibre tableware

Migration of formaldehyde (29 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Wooden bowls

Migration of formaldehyde (317 mg/kg - ppm) and of melamine (7.5 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Large cup

Migration of formaldehyde (35, 32, 73 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Bamboo coffee mug

Migration of formaldehyde (60.5 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Bamboo cup with lid

Migration of formaldehyde (62 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Bamboo fiber mugs

Migration of formaldehyde (up to 23.0 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Porcelain plates

Migration of lead (0.83; 0.88; 0.85; 1.08; 0.74 mg/dm²)

Details

Melamine plastic cups

Migration of melamine (2.81; 3.02 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Tableware set for children

Migration of melamine (2.9 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Meal set

Migration of melamine (8 mg/kg – ppm)

Details

Chromed steel grid

Migration of nickel (0.7 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Paper/plastic foil

Migration of primary aromatic amines (0.043 mg/kg - ppm)

Details

Nylon kitchenware

Migration of primary aromatic amines (104 µg/kg - ppb)

Details

Plastic ladle with silicone handle

Migration of primary aromatic amines (up to 270 µg/kg - ppb)

Details

Kitchen cooking set

Too high level of overall migration (10.1 mg/dm²)

Details

 

US

 

From on 21st July to 20th August 2019, CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has published the following recalls: 0 recalls regarding Food contact materials.