In the 2016 October issue of Bundesgesundheitsblatt („German Federal Health Gazette“), the 220^th Communication¹ stated the amendment on BfR Recommendation for food contact materials (FCM). The following BfR Recommendations were updated and have been effective since 1 July 2016.

• BfR Recommendation III. Polyethylene
• BfR Recommendation VII. Polypropylene
• BfR Recommendation XIV. Polymer Dispersions
• BfR Recommendation XVII. Poly(terephthalic acid diol esters)
• BfR Recommendation XXI. Commodities based on Natural and Synthetic Rubber
• BfR Recommendation XXXVI. Paper and board for food contact
• BfR Recommendation XXXVI/1. Cooking Papers, Hot Filter Papers and Filter Layers
• BfR Recommendation XXXVI/2. Paper and Paperboard for Baking Purposes
• BfR Recommendation XXXVI/3. Absorber pads based on cellulosic fibres for food packaging
• BfR Recommendation LII. Fillers

The amendments included amending the scope, addition and deletion of substances that can be used for plastics and paper FCM. There were also technical changes which include the deletion of the requirements for the migration of primary aromatic amines and lowered the migration limit for bisphenol A from 0.6 mg/kg to 0.24 mg/kg in the Annex of BfR Recommendation XXXVI on Paper and board for food contact.

In addition, requirements for hot water extract was added in the preamble of BfR Recommendation XXXVI/1 on Cooking Papers, Hot Filter Papers and Filter Layers and in BfR Recommendation XXXVI/2 on Paper and Paperboard for Baking Purposes.  The requirements for cold water extract was amended in the preamble of BfR Recommendation XXXVI on Paper and board for food contact and in Part III on the requirements of finished product of BfR Recommendation XXXVI/3 on absorber pads based on cellulosic fibres for food packaging. 

Table 1 below shows the details of both requirements