EU Legislation on Food contact materials
- general legislation
- legislation on specific materials
Food comes into contact with many materials and articles during production, processing, storage, preparation, serving and consumption. These materials include packaging, containers, food-processing machinery, kitchenware and tableware.
Because substances can migrate from these materials into food, the European Union regulates Food Contact Materials (FCMs) to protect consumer health, preserve food quality and support the effective functioning of the internal market.
What are Food Contact Materials?
Food Contact Materials (FCMs) are materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, already in contact with food, or reasonably expected to transfer their constituents to food under normal or foreseeable conditions of use.
Examples include food packaging, transport containers, processing equipment, storage materials, kitchenware and tableware. Their safety matters because transferred substances may affect the chemical safety of food as well as its taste, smell, appearance and overall quality.
Main objectives of EU legislation
- Protect consumers’ health.
- Ensure that materials do not alter food in an unacceptable way.
- Support the free movement of compliant goods within the EU internal market.
- Provide a harmonised legal framework for operators and national authorities.
General EU legislation
The framework Regulation
Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 provides the general EU legal framework for all Food Contact Materials placed on the European market.
It requires that FCMs do not release constituents into food in quantities that could endanger human health, bring about an unacceptable change in the composition of food, or deteriorate its taste and odour. The Regulation also lays down rules on labelling, traceability, compliance documentation and the role of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in substance assessment.
The framework was later amended on transparency aspects by Regulation (EU) 2019/1381.
Good Manufacturing Practice
All FCMs must also be manufactured in accordance with Commission Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
These rules require appropriate premises, trained staff, documented quality assurance and quality control systems, and suitable starting materials so that the final articles remain compliant and sufficiently inert for food contact use.
Specific EU rules on certain materials
In addition to the general framework, the EU has adopted specific legislation for certain materials and articles. These sector-specific rules complement the main framework and address materials where harmonised technical requirements are needed.
Plastic Materials
EU rules for plastic food contact materials set detailed requirements on authorised substances, migration limits, declarations of compliance and testing methods.
ENTERRecycled Plastic Materials
Recycled plastic used in food contact applications is regulated separately, with requirements on recycling technologies, authorisation and quality controls.
ENTERCeramics
Ceramic materials intended for food contact are subject to specific EU legislation, especially regarding the release of certain substances and compliance conditions.
ENTERRegenerated Cellulose Film
Regenerated cellulose film used in food packaging is covered by dedicated EU rules that define composition and safety requirements.
ENTERActive and Intelligent Materials
These materials are designed to interact with food or its environment in a controlled way and are therefore subject to specific EU provisions in addition to the general framework.
ENTERAuthorised Substances and Compliance
Some FCM legislation provides Union lists of authorised substances, together with restrictions, specifications and supporting compliance documentation.
ENTERNational legislation and enforcement
Where no specific harmonised EU rules exist, Member States may maintain or adopt national legislation for particular materials. At the same time, safety remains supported by business-operator testing, official controls by national authorities and scientific assessment by EFSA.
This combination of horizontal rules, material-specific measures, operator responsibility and public enforcement is intended to ensure both a high level of food safety and legal certainty across the internal market.
