Packaging Industry Must Heed New EU, US Food Packaging Regulations

Recently, following the announcements by Canada and the United States banning the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging and food-contact materials, members of the French parliament have also jointly proposed a bill calling for a ban on the use of bisphenol A in food packaging and food-contact materials. As European and American countries introduce new regulations on food packaging and food-contact materials one after another, our export enterprises and the relevant departments should pay close attention and prepare their response early.

Bisphenol A is an important organic chemical raw material, mainly used to produce polycarbonate, epoxy resin, polysulfone resin and various other polymer materials. Research has found that bisphenol A may cause a range of human diseases of the heart, liver and other organs; in particular, bisphenol A released from feeding bottles and other vessels used by infants may cause abnormal hormone secretion and impaired brain development in babies.

To guide enterprises in responding effectively to the new regulations, inspection and quarantine departments should, first, continue to step up research into new testing methods for food packaging and food-contact materials, widely collect information on new foreign technical regulations and standards, track new changes in the relevant foreign laws and regulations, and establish an effective risk early-warning mechanism; second, increase publicity directed at export enterprises, guide enterprises in strengthening control over raw and auxiliary materials and production processes, reinforce management at the source of production, and continuously raise the level of product quality and safety; third, further intensify inspection and supervision, strengthen safety and hygiene control over export enterprises' raw materials, auxiliary materials, semi-finished products, finished products and production processes, and, in line with the technical regulation requirements of the importing countries, reinforce risk analysis of different varieties of exported food packaging and food-contact materials, highlighting the key varieties and items for sampling and testing, so as to provide technical support for the safety of exported food.

At the same time, the following is suggested to the relevant export enterprises: first, pay close attention to new changes in the food packaging technical regulations of various countries and keep abreast of their implementation dates, specific content and scope of coverage; second, adopt the concept that quality comes first, strengthen the awareness of the person responsible for quality, make sure standards are known, understood and used, and continuously improve the level of quality management; third, strengthen management at the source of production, strictly prohibit the addition of bisphenol A to raw and auxiliary materials, and ensure that food packaging and food-contact materials meet the standard requirements of the importing country.

——This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn), original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-362213.html