Food contact materials research

As well as providing information and practical methods to help the Agency meet its consumer safety objectives, this research helps to provide a sound scientific basis for UK input to negotiations in the European Union.

This programme of research includes the quantification of chemical migration and the development of appropriate test protocols, as well as more fundamental work to increase understanding of the factors affecting chemical migration.

A diverse range of topics is investigated under this programme, such as the measurement of packaged food intake, chemical migration from active and intelligent packaging and biodegradable packaging migration studies on irradiated food packaging. The research programme is managed carefully to ensure value for money in both the science it produces and its relevance to the work of the Agency. Projects are awarded to contractors after open competition.

The Working Party on Materials and Articles in Contact with Food or Drink provides independent advice on what research is needed and how it is carried out. To ensure that the projects relate to current practice, the membership of the Working Party includes experts from industry as well as consumer and regulatory interests. The activities of the Working Party are currently structured around an annual meeting, held in the spring. The meeting reviews research projects in progress and considers future research needs

The 2008 meeting reviewed the following current research projects:

• Identify chemicals specific to active and intelligent packaging on the market and the extent to which they migrate into food, through laboratory based research (A03062)
• Review of the existing use of simulants for migration testing and recommendations for future work/possible modifications (A03064)
• Measurement of packaged food intake of selected groups of adults by kilogram body weight to include type of packaging and foodstuff (A03067)
• Literature review, analytical screening and chemical migration studies on irradiated food packaging (A03068)
• Investigation into the effect of additives on migration of substances originating from colourants used in food contact plastics (A03066)
• Development and validation of an HPLC-MS-MS method for the determination of primary aromatic amines and use of this for the assessment of migration models for foods with high packaging:food mass ratios (A03060)

If you have any questions about this research theme please contact Edward Potter on 020 7276 8550 or by email: science@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk