Metals and alloys used in food contact materials and articles

The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare (EDQM) has recently published a new Technical Guide, which was compiled by the Council of Europe. It is used in various tests of metals and alloys used in food contact materials and articles.

What is this guide about?

Metals and alloys are used in food contact materials and articles in food processing equipment, containers and household utensils as well as in foil used to wrap food. Metal ions can be released from these materials, into foods and, if the release exceeds the toxicological reference values, it may endanger the health of the consumer or unacceptably alter the composition of the food or its organoleptic characteristics.

What does it include?

The new Technical guide covers general provisions and recommendations which can assist national policy-makers to adopt legislative and other measures aimed at reducing the health risks arising from consumer exposure to certain metal ions released into food from the contact with metals and alloys. It also provides technical information on specific release limits (SRLs) for metals and analytical methods for release testing of food contact materials and articles made from metals and alloys.

Who has prepared it?

The Technical guide is prepared by the Committee of Experts on Packaging Materials for Food and Pharmaceutical Products (P-SC-EMB) with the support of the Consumer Health Protection Committee (CD-P-SC), the Steering Committee with responsibility for these activities.

This new guide supersedes the previously established Guidelines on Metals and Alloys (first issued on 9 March 2001 and revised on 13 February 2002 under the former Council of Europe Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field).

Information:
This item will be ordered specially for you, therefore delivery may take 1 to 2 weeks.