India Updates Regulations for Food Contact Materials and Articles

Top Quote India issues new legislation covering food contact materials and articles; which becomes effective on July 1, 2019. End Quote
  • (1888PressRelease) February 20, 2019 - The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a completely new law to regulate food contact materials and articles. Published in December 2018, ‘Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018’ replaces all provisions for food contact in ‘Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011’.

    There are several important provisions included in the new law. These include:
    • Specific Indian Standards (IS) listed for applications in food contact paper and board, metal and metal alloys, and plastics (Schedules I to III)
    • Specifying a list of suggestive packaging materials for certain product categories of food (Schedule IV)
    • ≤ 60 mg/kg or ≤ 10 mg/dm² for overall migration and with no visible color migration for food contact plastics
    • Compliance with specific migration levels for seven heavy metals (identical to Regulation (EU) 10/2011 as originally published). These are:
    o Barium: ≤ 1.0 mg/kg
    o Cobalt: ≤ 0.05 mg/kg
    o Copper: ≤ 5.0 mg/kg
    o Iron: ≤ 48.0 mg/kg
    o Lithium: ≤ 0.6 mg/kg
    o Manganese: ≤ 0.6 mg/kg
    o Zinc: ≤ 25.0 mg/kg
    • Prohibition of recycled plastics for the manufacture of food contact materials and articles
    • Where appropriate Indian Standards do not exist, International standards can be used
    • Specifying the use of IS 15495 for printing inks for use on FCM
    • Requiring all business operators to obtain the certificate of conformity issued by laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)

    The new law will come into effect on July 1, 2019. Businesses are advised to check their products now conform to the provisions of ‘Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018’.

    SGS Food Contact Material Services
    SGS’s technical experts have extensive experience of testing materials and articles in contact with food. They can ensure that your products meet the appropriate regulations for food contact materials and pave the way for compliance. SGS offers the full range of testing, including migration tests, along with expert advice on emerging regulations, compliance issues and documentation review. Learn more about SGS’s Food Contact Material Services. [http://www.sgs.com/fcm]

    SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full India Publishes New Legislation on Food Contact Materials and Articles SafeGuardS. [www.sgs.com/en/news/2019/02/safeguards-01919-india-publishes-new-legislation-on-food-contact-materials-and-articles]

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    For further information contact:
    Hingwo Tsang
    Global Information and Innovation Manager
    Tel:(+852) 2774 7420
    Email: crs.media ( @ ) sgs dot com
    Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines

    About SGS
    SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 97,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

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