Tackle your food safety concerns – How to identify composites safe for food contact?

 

The starting point for any food contact materials and articles sold in the European market is that they comply with the relevant European legislation. In addition to Framework Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2006 on Good Manufacturing Practices, all plastic composite materials and articles have to comply with the Plastic Regulation (EC) 10/2011. This regulation contains a list of substances that are authorized for use in the plastic composites. For the moment, only wood flour and fibers, untreated (FCM 96) and ground sunflower seed hulls (FCM 1060) are listed and thus can be used in the production of plastic composite materials and articles for food contact.

 

Plastic regulation also sets-up overall and specific migration limits for the finished materials and articles.  It is the responsibility of the producer to test and confirm that the finished composite materials and articles comply with these limits. During the last few years, there have been several cases where it has been shown that composite materials made of bamboo fibers and melamine have exceeded the specific migration levels.

The concern with these materials relates to the migration of melamine and/or formaldehyde above levels specified in the legislation. In some cases, the migration has been more than ten times higher than the acceptable levels. Migration is especially detected in direct contact with hot drinks (>70^oC) and acidic food. There are today over 50 RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) notifications concerning high levels of formaldehyde migration in bamboo melamine composites.

The risk with melamine migrating into food is kidney stones and kidney failure, and for very high dosages even death from poisoning. The risk with formaldehyde is somewhat less known but reports of long-term exposure shows that it may lead to cancer.

Select a safe option

In 2019 European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published their scientific opinion on risk assessment of “wood flour and fibers, untreated as a review of whether it’s authorization is still in accordance with Regulation (EC) 1935/2004. Based on EFSA’s opinion Commission is planning to remove the current listing of “wood flour and fibers, untreated” from the plastic regulation and replace it with new authorizations for which risk assessments will be done case by case.

Stora Enso biocomposites that are intended for food contact comply with the relevant and valid EU legislation and only substances that are authorized for use in plastic materials and articles are used. The material does not contain melamine and has been tested to ensure it complies with the migration levels.

Stora Enso is closely following what will happen to the current authorization of “wood flour and fiber, untreated” and is prepared to act. You can always trust the products are safe and in line with food safety regulation.