Materials for food contact

In the European Union there is a regulation whose purpose is to limit the release of substances from the plastics which may be harmful to human health. There are two types of limits: ‘overall migration limit’ (OML) and ‘specific migration limit’ (SML). The OML is the maximum permitted amount of non-volatile substances that can be released into the food. The overall migration is determined by exposing the item to a chemical food simulant for a specified and appropriate length of time, after which the extracted residue is dried and weighed. The SML restricts the migration limits of extracted metals.

SATRA’s laboratory can advise and undertake mandatory testing of materials and articles in contact with food. We can also test extractable lead and cadmium release in accordance with BS 6748 and ASTM C927.

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