Plotting a Course Through Food Contact Packaging Regulations
Manufacturers and users of industrial packaging may not always be aware of a product’s final destination or end purpose, meaning it could become subject to regulations not considered in the original packaging selection or manufacturing process. The only time users become aware of the issue could be when requests for regulatory compliance statements are made. Packaging users and manufacturers should proceed with caution in how these requests are handled, as they can often be fraught with risk.
New regulatory demands in China may catch vendors by surprise: 2017 saw extensive revisions to Food Contact Packaging Standards. Like the EU regulatory structure, the standards are framed by a ‘General Safety’ standard with supporting Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Additive Positive List, Migration Test and Food Contact Materials standards. These National Standards, published by China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) and known as ‘GB’ Standards, consolidate and normalize previous standards applicable to food contact materials to facilitate industry understanding and compliance, but there are several changes and the list of materials is still incomplete.