European Framework
A European framework establishes the general safety requirements for all materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. This law applies to all materials, including paperboard, plastics, and printing inks, that are expected to touch food products. In the European packaging industry, regulation eu 1935 2004 sets the baseline rules that all materials must meet to ensure food safety and prevent changes in the taste or smell of the food.
Safety Obligation
Under regulation eu 1935 2004, packaging must not transfer chemicals to food in quantities that could endanger human health. It also prohibits any transfer that causes an unacceptable change in the composition of the food or a deterioration in its sensory properties. This obligation forces paper mills and converters to use food-safe chemicals and to run regular tests to verify that migration remains below the dangerous limits.
Traceability System
Compliance with this regulation requires a reliable traceability system from the sourcing of raw materials to the distribution of the finished package. Every business in the supply chain must be able to identify where their materials came from and where they were sent. This trace history allows for quick product recalls if a safety issue is discovered, protecting consumers and helping companies locate the source of any contamination in their process.
This tracking also gives food brands confidence that every component of their package has been verified for food-contact safety before being shipped to their packaging facilities.
