Assuring conformity of packaging materials with the european food regulatory requirements

Packaging materials are not completely inert, they interact with their filling. Substances originating from the packaging can pass into or onto the packed food (and vice versa). Therefore, to assure the consumer's safety, food packaging materials are regulated by the European and national legislators. The regulations are becoming more and more harmonised in the European Union by European Directives and their conversion in national regulations of the Member States. This is an ongoing process; in the areas, which are not yet harmonised, national regulations of the Member States apply. Producers and converters of food packaging materials as well as the packers of the food have, due to their duty of diligence, to ensure the conformity of the materials with the legal requirements. This paper gives an overview of the regulations in the European Community and the corresponding test methods including fast and cost effective alternative methods.