A food-contact substance is a substance intended for use as a component of a material or article that contacts food, where its intended use may reasonably result in the substance becoming a component of food.
Food-contact substances can include substances used in plastics, coatings, adhesives, additives, plasticizers, paper and cardboard, printing inks, processing aids, and other materials associated with food-contact applications.
Food-contact substances can serve many functions, including providing flexibility, preventing corrosion, creating barriers, improving sealing, or protecting the food from the packaging itself.
The presence of a food-contact substance does not by itself indicate that it is unsafe. Safety assessment considers its intended use and the resulting exposure.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Food-contact material: the finished material or article intended to contact food; food-contact substance focuses on the substance itself rather than the finished object.
- Food-contact chemical: a broader, less formal expression that can refer to chemicals associated with food-contact applications.
SEE ALSO