Paris / Stockholm, 17 June 2020: As part of the production of paper bags for food, European producers find themselves having to manage numerous legal requirements relating to the protection and hygiene of stored food. To help manufacturers comply with all regulations and provide food companies with the information needed to achieve compliance with food contact, the European Paper Sack Research Group (ESG), a collaboration between EUROSAC and CEPI Eurokraft, presented an update of its guidelines on the matter.
This document summarizes the relevant regulations at EU and national level and offers an overview of the procedures necessary to collect, evaluate and document all the necessary information. It also defines the conditions under which migration testing and the release of compliance documents are required.
Paper bags for food products can be structured in different ways and with different materials. While some bags are made entirely of paper, others have layers of plastic or aluminum with the added barrier function against moisture, oxygen or fats. Glue or ink is also part of the final structure. To meet the requirements of contact with food, which can be fat on the surface, containing fat, dry or wet, in addition to the type of food that will be packaged in the bag, the materials involved must be taken into consideration. The same applies to the conditions of use, the storage period and the temperature. Information on these aspects by all suppliers is a fundamental prerequisite.
“Food safety is of the utmost importance for our sector. With our updated guideline we intend to clarify the responsibilities relating to compliance with the contact requirements related to materials, paper bags and food during the useful life of the bag compared to existing legal regulations “, explains Catherine Plitzko-Kerninon, General Delegate by EUROSAC. “The guideline provides an overview of the most important rules and explains how and under what circumstances they must be respected and what steps need to be taken.”
To assist European paper bag manufacturers in the process of ensuring compliance with the legislation, the document recommends following a procedure to ensure theconformità al contatto con gli alimenti, denominata “ESG/Key Seven Steps” (ESG/Sette punti chiave). Esistono diversi approcci a seconda della composizione del sacco. Tutti iniziano con la raccolta delle informazioni relative all’uso previsto per il sacco di carta, delle dichiarazioni di conformità e di altri documenti richiesti dai fornitori. Proseguendo, si dovrebbero riassumere le informazioni sulle sostanze che destano preoccupazione, per poi concludere se sono necessari test sulla migrazione di tali sostanze.
Il passaggio finale, dopo l’esecuzione di eventuali test, è quello di redigere un documento di conformità. L’allegato completo comprende inoltre informazioni approfondite su questioni specifiche, come i materiali riciclati per il contatto con gli alimenti, le condizioni di prova e una panoramica sulla presenza di legislazioni nazionali e raccomandazioni in diversi paesi, nonché link alle rispettive informazioni del sito web.