All interested groups and individuals have been invited to comment on the plans devised to ensure that any migration of chemicals from food contact materials and articles into food is at levels that will not harm human health or detrimentally affect the nature or quality of the food.
The proposals focus on the requirements to document good manufacturing practice procedures and to document and ensure the legal compliance of goods throughout the manufacturing chain.
Enforcement authorities
“This is a principle means of control for both the business operator, who will want to ensure that products are compliant and consistently produced, and for the enforcement authorities,” according to FSA.
The key proposals included in the consultation include Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practice and Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on materials and articles in contact with food. Other directives cover the ceramic and cellulose film articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs.
The FSA said it particularly welcomes comments from members of the Port and Environmental Health Authorities and Trading Standards Departments.
Policy announcement
Responses are required by 10 April 2009 and a summary of the responses will bepublished within three months.
“All comments will be taken into account before policy is made,” a FSA spokesperson told FoodProductionDaily.com. The timing of the policy announcement will depend on the number of responses, it was confirmed.
The consultation follows a workshop held last November where delegates were invited to discuss the draft guidance and to suggest improvements to make the proposals more accurate, useful and useable.