MeeKyung Kim
National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation - MFDS, South Korea
Title: Regulations and current issues of food contact materials
Biography
Biography: MeeKyung Kim
Abstract
Standards and specifications including labeling for food contact materials (FCMs) are hereby introduced. Major differences between countries related regulations, recent trends, and related researches are also presented. Standards and specifications regarding FCMs consist of general rules which describe purpose, scope and structure. The common specification standards describe manufacturing process and usage, application of the rules, suitability determination, sampling and handling methods, storage and distribution standards. The labeling standards of FCMs require the marking on all the food contact articles regarding the names and addresses of businesses, material names, and the words for food or labeling of utensils design for food, and precautions. With technological advances, many novel materials have been developed for food contact articles. In this field, the application of new technology can greatly improve thermal resistance, barrier function and anti-gas permeability etc. However, some well-known or unknown compounds inside food packaging might leach/migrate into food or beverage. Nowadays, since the database concerning these leached/migrated compounds is still inadequate and doubts and anxiety continue to persist in the public imagination, safety assessment related research works need to be continuously carried out. Researches have been engaged in numerous projects to secure the safety of food packaging in recent years. Some major projects are as follows: study of nanomaterial-applied food containers and packaging, development of analytical methods regarding perfluorinated compounds, antioxidants and UV absorbers migrate from polyethylene and polypropylene, bisphenol analogues, and mineral oils from food packaging materials. Non-intentionally added substances, nano materials, plastic colorants, and volatile organic compounds in food packaging will continue to be very challenging topics in the present and near future. Harmonization of standards, specifications and analytical methods are also needed to manage safety of FCMs. Collaboration studies of international bodies are suggested to solve these global issues.