EU Food Contact Materials Testing

The European Union (EU) issued Directive 1935/2004/EC for materials intended to come into contact with food, which became mandatory on October 27, 2006. Since then, materials and products intended for export to the EU and in contact with food must comply with the relevant provisions of Directive 1935/2004/EC. This includes regulations such as China’s GB4806, US FDA testing, Germany’s LFGB testing, and France's DGCCRF regulations.

The EU's objective in establishing a unified regulatory system for food contact materials is to protect consumer health and remove unnecessary trade barriers.

The EU's regulation of food contact materials includes three categories: framework regulations, specific regulations, and individual regulations. The framework regulation defines the general principles for the management of food contact materials; specific regulations set special requirements for each category of material listed in the framework regulation; individual regulations apply special provisions to a specific substance.

In our daily lives, food contact materials are commonly encountered. These include food packaging bags, food wrapping paper, pots, bowls, pans, chopsticks, and more. Since these items come into direct contact with the food we consume, their safety directly affects our health. Therefore, various countries have established food contact material testing regulations to ensure that these products do not pose a threat to human health. EU food-grade testing, as per EC regulations, mandates that materials or equipment that come into direct or indirect contact with food must either indicate "Food Contact Approved" or comply with specific usage instructions (e.g., coffee makers, electric kettles) or be marked with EC symbols.

EU Food Contact Materials Testing Categories:

1. Plastic Products Food-Grade Testing

2. Enamel/Glass/Ceramic Products Food-Grade Testing

3. Silicone Products Testing

4. Organic Coatings, Rubber Products, Aluminum/Aluminum Alloy Products, Stainless Steel/Iron Products, Metal/Alloy/Plated Products

EU Food Contact Materials Testing Regulations:

1. Plastic:

 - 2011/10/EU: EN 1186; EN 13130; DIN 55610; EN 14372; EN 13130; No. 321/2011: EN 13130; 2011/10/EU: EN 13130; (EU) No. 1282/2011: EN 13130; 2011/10/EU: EN 13130

2. Enamel/Glass/Ceramic:

 - 84/500/EEC; 2005/31/EC

3. Silicone:

 - AP 2004-5: EN 1186

4. Organic Coatings:

 - AP 2004-1: EN 1186

5. Rubber:

 - AP 2004-4: EN 1186; EN 12868; DIN 55610

6. Aluminum/Aluminum Alloys:

 - EN 601; EN 602

7. Various Stainless Steel/Iron/Metal/Alloy/Plated Products:

 - CM/RES (2013) 9

Product Information Required for EU Food Contact Materials Testing:

1. Material composition of the food contact material

2. Product usage conditions

3. Type of food the material will come into contact with

4. Duration of food contact

5. Temperature of food contact