consumer product
Food contact packaging testing and certification
Packaging and materials in contact with food.
Food contact packaging — conformity scope
For food-contact packaging, general and specific migration requirements and material-based rules apply; the declaration of compliance and traceability are part of the file. Packaging waste legislation also imposes recyclability and marking obligations.
The list below is the European Union framework. The same product falls under a different mark and approval regime in another market; Smart Service Finder shows that market's requirements when you select it.
Regulation
Food contact packaging legislation that typically comes into play for
The following is the European Union framework and shows typical application. Which title actually applies depends on the class, intended use and components of the product; The scope is determined by examining the product.
General requirements for materials and articles in contact with food; a declaration of compliance and traceability are mandatory.
Plastic materials in contact with food. The list of authorised substances, and overall and specific migration limits.
Good manufacturing practice (GMP) for food-contact materials.
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. Recyclability, recycled-content and packaging-reduction obligations; replaces 94/62/EC.
Recycled plastic materials in contact with food.
Registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals; SVHC notification.
Standards
Standards typically referenced in the dossier
- EN 1186
- EN 13130
- ASTM D3985oxygen permeability (OTR)
- ASTM F1249water vapor permeability (WVTR)
- ASTM D642compression testing of packages
- ASTM D999vibration testing on packaging
- ASTM D4728random vibration in packaging
- ASTM D5276free fall test on packages
- ASTM D4169
- ISO 2233
- ISO 12048
- TAPPI T410
- TAPPI T811
- TAPPI T804
What is required?
Each item links to the relevant service page: the legislation entry to the certification scheme, the test family to the laboratory page, and the mark to the market page.
European Union — required mark
3- CE — European UnionThe umbrella for entering the EU market; all regulations applicable to the product are met.
- RoHS — European UnionRestriction of hazardous substances in electrical equipment; part of the CE declaration.
- REACH — European UnionChemical legislation — not covered by CE, but affects almost all products.
Required legislation
4- General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)
- Toy Safety DirectiveProducts within toy scope
- REACH
- POPs Regulation
Required tests
5- Mechanical TestingMechanical and physical safety
- Fire TestingAlevlenebilirlik
- Toy TestingChemical migration and small parts
- Textile Testing
- Furniture Testing
Required certificates
2- Toy Safety (CE) Certification
- Declaration of conformity based on the test report
What must be in the technical file
6- Technical file and risk assessment
- The EU declaration of conformity
- Age group declaration and warning texts
- Traceability information (batch, manufacturer, importer)
- Details of the responsible person established in the EU (GPSR)
- Details of the authorised representative or importer established in the EU
How does the process work?
The flow below is a general order independent of product type; timing and acceptance criteria are determined by the standard the product falls under.
1Defining the scope
It is determined which legislation the product falls under based on its technical characteristics and intended use.
2Testing and evaluation
Tests are planned for the applicable headings; results are evaluated according to the relevant standards.
3Technical file
Design, production and test records are compiled in the technical file, accompanied by a risk assessment.
4Declaration or certificate
Depending on the product group, the manufacturer's declaration is prepared or third-party certification is carried out.
Food contact packaging which market is it going to?
Who bears the obligation, where the test will be performed, and what customs will require all vary by market.
What changes depending on the market?
Same product, different regimen
- European UnionA declaration of compliance (DoC) and migration testing are the basis for food-contact packaging; for plastics, the (EU) 10/2011 substance list and migration limits apply. PPWR obligations on the packaging side apply on a staged timetable.
- United KingdomThe UKCA regime carries the same technical requirements into its own legislation; CE marking is recognised indefinitely for many product groups.
- United StatesFDA 21 CFR Part 174–190 food-contact substance regulations, and a Food Contact Notification (FCN) process where needed, apply.
Products in the same group
Food contact packaging — let's work out the scope together
Share the product's technical characteristics; let us tell you in writing which headings apply to your scope and which tests are required.
This result is a starting roadmap, not a conformity assessment. Which legislation a product falls under depends on its technical characteristics, intended use and user group; it is only finalised by examining the product. You may have an obligation not shown in the list, and an item shown here may not apply to your product.