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Swiss Ordinance 817.023.21 on materials and articles will be updated as of February 1, 2024, by an amendment dated December 8, 2023.

The German Bundesrat (the Federal Council of Germany) adopted the 21st Amendment to the Consumer Goods Ordinance (aka the Printing Inks Ordinance) during its 1012th plenary meeting on November 26, 2021. The Printing Inks Ordinance amends the German Consumer Goods Ordinance and entered into force on December 8, 2021. The transition period for the new Printing Inks Ordinance will be four to five years, depending on the new provisions entering into force.

China notified the WTO concerning a National Standard on Inks used in Food Contact Materials and Articles on November 5, 2020.

China’s National Health Commission (NHC) published on October 15, 2020 five draft GB standards in relation to food-contact materials and articles, which are described below. 

What are the Requirements for Using Aluminum Foil as a Functional Barrier?

I understand that the inclusion of an aluminum foil layer in laminate materials is considered by FDA to be a functional barrier. Should the...

Food and beverage cans with liners containing phenolic compounds and printing inks containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been named as draft priority consumer products under Washington State’s Safer Products Program.

Keller and Heckman Partner Cynthia Lieberman will be one of the presenters at the Association of International Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL) Roll 2 Roll Conference USA 2018. Her presentation, “U.S. and EU Regulation of Printing Inks,” will focus on developments in the U.S. and EU printing ink regulations that impact the flexible packaging industry.  Other presentations of interest to food packaging professionals include, “State of the Flexible Packaging Industry,” “Trends in Food and Packaging,” and ones on flexible packaging and sustainability.

The European Commission (EC) is considering using designated bodies to certify intermediate and final food contact materials (FCMs) before they can be placed on the EU market as an alternative approach to regulating printed FCMs by way of a traditional positive list system. The designated bodies—consisting of commercial laboratories or other consultants—would be approved by Member States and would be responsible for certifying compliance at “each stage of manufacturing.” They also could carry out the compliance work themselves.