definition

Last update: 08/04/2024 [1, 2, 3]

Food Contact Materials (FCM) include a wide variety of materials such as plastic, paper, ceramic, metal and ink used in packaging, containers and other articles that come into contact with food.

There is always an interaction between food and packaging that could involve different components of the food contact material: monomers, additives, adhesives, inks.

Migration is the transfer of substances from FCM into the food.

Some of them are intentionally added (IAS), namely substances with functional properties. Others are non intentionally-added substances (NIAS):
  • co-products of unintentional degradation processes of polymers and additives
  • impurities from raw materials
  • neoformed compounds
  • other contaminants.

By definition, they are unavoidable, cannot be defined “a priori” and require a risk assessment although there are no clear legal requirements.

CHINA [4, 5, 6, 7]

The substances not added by man contained in food contact materials and articles, including impurities brought into the raw materials, break-down products, contaminants and residual reaction intermediates in the process of production, operation and use.

Food contact materials and articles manufacturers should control the non-intentionally added substances in products, so that the amount of their migration into food meets the following requirements:
  • Food contact materials and articles that come into contact with food under the recommended conditions of use, they do not transfer their constituents to food in quantities which could endanger human health
  • Food contact materials and articles come into contact with food under the recommended conditions of use, the substances transferred into food should not cause changes in the composition, structure, color, flavor and other properties of the food, and should not produce technical functions of the food (except for special provisions).
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