FOOD AND HEALTH ESSENTIALS

EU Commission proposes new limits on BPA in plastic food contact materials

The Commission of the European Union (EU) has proposed the expansion of existing limits on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic food contact materials to include varnishes and coatings applied to such materials.

Under the terms of a proposed Regulation issued in February, the Commission would limit to not more than 0.05 mg per kilogram of food (mg/kg) BPA migration from varnishes and coatings applied to food contact materials. Further, the proposed Regulation would ban altogether any BPA migration from varnishes and coatings applied to packaging materials intended to come in contact with food intended for infants and young children. The list of such foods would include infant formula, baby food, process cereal-based food, food for special medical purposes, and milk-based drinks and similar products specifically intended for young children.

Testing and labelling requirements under the newly proposed limits are consistent with those applicable to the use of BPA in food contact materials, as laid out in Regulation (EU) No 10/2011.

If approved, the requirements of the Commission proposal would take effect approximately six months following the publication of the final Regulation in the Official Journal of the European Union. 

To find out what the proposed amendments on EU's Regulation No. 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles for food contact are, click here. The complete text of the EU Commission’s draft proposed regulation on the use of BPA in varnishes and coatings of plastic food contact materials is available here.