Food contact material applications: regulations and guidance
EU legislation and EFSA guidance documents detail how to compile dossiers for food contact material applications and what type of scientific data and other information must be included. EFSA regularly updates its guidance documents. Applicants are reminded to ensure they are using the latest version before applying.
Food contact materials
Regulatory framework
- EU legislation on food contact materials and specific materials
- A new Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 on recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foods will enter into force on 10 October 2022. Further information including Q&A is available here.
Plastic materials
Administrative guidance and support initiatives
Applicable to applications submitted as of 27 March 2021
- Administrative guidance for the preparation of applications on substances to be used in plastic food contact materials (update 29 November 2022)
- Administrative guidance for the processing of applications for regulated products (update 2021)
- EFSA's Catalogue of support initiatives during the life-cycle of applications for regulated products (update January 2024)
Applicable to applications submitted until 26 March 2021
- Administrative guidance for the preparation of applications for the safety assessment of substances to be used in plastic Food Contact Materials
- Administrative guidance for the processing of applications for regulated products
- EFSA's Catalogue of support initiatives during the life-cycle of applications for regulated products
Scientific guidance
Applicable to applications submitted as of 27 March 2021
Applicable to applications submitted until 26 March 2021
Recycling process to produce recycled plastic
Administrative guidance and support initiatives
- Administrative guidance for the preparation of applications for the authorisation of individual recycling processes to produce recycled plastics materials and articles intended to come into contact with food[1]
- Administrative guidance for the processing of applications for regulated products (update 2021)
- EFSA's Catalogue of support initiatives during the life-cycle of applications for regulated products (update January 2024)
[1]Disclaimer: This document is subject to the formal agreement of the European Commission as per Article 20(1) of Regulation EU 2022/1616. It is therefore provisional in nature and may be subject to further modifications until the finalised administrative guidance will be published, following receipt of the formal agreement of the European Commission. This provisional document is published for the benefit of the applicants preparing an application under Regulation EU 2022/1616, however it cannot result in any binding obligations and cannot give rise to any legitimate expectations of future conduct. Only the finalised version that will be published in the future can be considered as the applicable administrative guidance document.
Scientific guidance
- Scientific Guidance on the criteria for the evaluation and on the preparation of applications for the safety assessment of post‐consumer mechanical PET recycling processes intended to be used for manufacture of materials and articles in contact with food (published in July 2024, implementation date: as of publication)
Other guidance
Guidance on the review, revision and development of EFSA's cross-cutting guidance documents
Active and intelligent materials and articles
Administrative guidance and support initiatives
Applicable to applications submitted as of 27 March 2021
- Administrative guidance for the preparation of applications on substances to be used in active and intelligent materials and articles intended to come into contact with food
- Administrative guidance for the processing of applications for regulated products (update 2021)
- EFSA's Catalogue of support initiatives during the life-cycle of applications for regulated products (update January 2024)
Applicable to applications submitted until 26 March 2021
- Guidelines on submission of a dossier for safety evaluation by the EFSA of active or intelligent substances present in active and intelligent materials and articles intended to come into contact with food
- Administrative guidance for the processing of applications for regulated products
- EFSA's Catalogue of support initiatives during the life-cycle of applications for regulated products
Scientific guidance
Applicable to applications submitted as of 27 March 2021
Applicable to applications submitted until 26 March 2021
Regenerated cellulose film
Administrative guidance and support initiatives
Applicable to applications submitted as of 27 March 2021
Applicable to applications submitted until 26 March 2021
Siehe auch
- Food contact material applications: frequently asked questions
- Toolkit
- Authorisation: European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
- Submission of dossiers: competent authority of a Member State
- Video: Update of sectoral and administrative Guidance Documents to address the Transparency Regulat…