The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations 1987

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which apply to England, Scotland and Wales come into force on 2nd October 1987. They re-enact the Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations 1978, as amended.

The principal change effected by the Regulations is the implementation of Council Directive No. 83/229/EEC (O.J. No. L123, 11.5.83, p. 31) on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to materials and articles made of regenerated cellulose film intended to come into contact with foodstuffs, as amended by Commission Directive No. 86/388/EEC (O.J. No. L228, 14.8.86, p. 32).

The Regulations apply to materials and articles which are in their finished state and are intended to come into contact with food or which are in contact with food and are intended for that purpose and forbid the sale, importation or commercial use of materials and articles which fail to comply with the Regulations. They require that materials and articles shall not, under normal or foreseeable conditions of use, transfer their constituents to food in quantities which could endanger human health or bring about an unacceptable change in the nature, substance or quality of the food (regulation 4).

For materials and articles manufactured with vinyl chloride polymers or co-polymers, limits are prescribed to the quantity of vinyl chloride monomer which they may contain and to the quantity of vinyl chloride which they may transfer to food (regulation 5).

For materials and articles made of regenerated cellulose film, the substances from which they may be manufactured are prescribed together with conditions and restrictions on use (regulation 6 and Schedule 1).

The Regulations also—

(a) specify requirements for the labelling of materials and articles sold by retail and otherwise than by retail (regulations 7 and 8 respectively and Schedule 2);

(b) restrict to materials and articles which comply with the Regulations, descriptions and symbols indicating suitability for use with food (regulation 9 and Schedule 2);

(c) apply regulations 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 to materials and articles offered as prizes (regulation 10);

(d) with minor clarifications in respect of Scotland, make provision for administration and enforcement of the Regulations and for legal proceedings (regulations 11—24).