Food Contact Materials
Food contact materials are substances that come into contact with food; including “active” and “intelligent” materials. Active food contact materials are those that are designed to release a substance into a foodstuff – to improve its condition or extend shelf life, for example. Intelligent food contact materials are those that monitor the packing environment or condition of the food itself. The latest European Regulation on food contract materials came into force on 3 December 2004 and includes provisions for both active and intelligent food contact materials, as well as for all other materials that can be expected to come into contract with food – printing inks and packaging plastic, for example.
The UK’s Food Contact Materials Unit conducts research into detecting chemicals that have been transferred to food from food contact materials, with the aim of putting effective controls in place to maintain high standards of food hygiene and safety. By working with the EU Commission, the FCMU also aims to ensure that the same controls on substances are in place across all the EU Member States.
