Background Information


Organoleptics		Organoleptics is the testing of foodstuffs in relation to the quality-influencing properties, taste, odour, colour, appearance, shape retention and consistency, without the use of aids, but purely by means of the human senses. The organoleptic properties of packaging materials are tested by means of the "Robinson test".
CEPE		European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists' Colours Industry
CITPA		International Confederation of Paper & Board Converters in Europe
FPE		Flexible Packaging Europe European Forum for the Flexible Packaging Industry
Types of barrier		Permanent barriers (glass, metal, aluminium foil >7µm thick) Functional (specific) barriers (films, foils) Non-functional barriers (paper, board)
Specific barriers		Definition of a "functional barrier" (Draft of SUPER-REGULATION EMB 993 Rev. 5-1, February 2004) "Functional barrier" is a barrier consisting of one or more layers which shall a) ensure that the migration of the authorised substances does not exceed the overall migration limit or their specific migration limit or the restriction applicable to them and that the migration of permitted substances is below a concentration that could endanger human health, b) prevent the transfer of substances referred to in Article 13, paragraph 2, their reaction products and their impurities into food or food simulants.
SML		Specific migration limit, expressed in mg/kg. Maximum permissible migration of a substance per kg of foodstuff.
Robinson test		The organoleptic properties of packaging materials are normally tested by means of the "Robinson test". The test conditions for paper and board are specified in the following standards: DIN EN 1230-1 Sensory analysis – Odour DIN EN 1230-2 Sensory analysis – Off-flavour (taint) For the odour test, the sample is kept in a sealed glass bottle for 24 hours. To test off-flavour (the transfer of taste), the sample being tested is stored together with the test substance over a period of 48 hours. The sample and the test substance do not come directly into contact with each other. As a rule, chocolate is used as the test substance. The intensity of the odour or off-flavour is evaluated according to a scale ranging from 0 to 4 : 0 no odour/off-flavour 1 odour/off-flavour can just be detected 2 odour/off-flavour moderate 3 odour/off-flavour fairly strong 4 odour/off-flavour strong
Migration		Determination of migration is conducted in keeping with DIN EN 14338 or DIN EN 1186-13. Tenax (modified polyphenylene oxide MPPO) is used as a food simulant. The simulant is placed on the side of the packaging that is to make contact with the foodstuff and stored at 40°C for 10 days.
Regulations/Directives		The EU has passed various Regulations and Directives pertaining to food packaging. Unlike EU Regulations, which automatically come into force in every single EU country the moment they are published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, Directives have to be implemented in national law by the respective member states.
Council of Europe		The Council of Europe is a political organisation currently comprising 46 European states. As such, it also includes non-EU countries such as Switzerland. Under the "Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field", 18 states have joined forces to promote matters related to health protection. The Resolutions are drawn up in expert committees ("Committee of Experts on Materials Coming into Contact with Food") and adopted by the Committee of Ministers. Resolutions adopted by the Council of Europe are recommendations with no legally binding character.
Regulation 1935/2004		REGULATION (EC) No. 1935/2004 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 27 October 2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food and repealing Directives 80/590/EEC and 89/109/EEC For the complete text: PDF-Document
Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006		COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) N 2023/2006 of 22 December 2006 on good manufacturing practice for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food For the complete text: PDF-Document
ResAP(2005)2		Resolution on packaging inks applied to the non-food contact surface od food packaging materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. For the complete text: PDF-Document
Regulation 10/2011		Regulation (EU) No.10/2011 of the commission from January, 14th 2011 for materials and objects made of plastics, which are used for contact with food. PDF-Document
EuPIA		European Printing Ink Association
GMP		Good Manufacturing Practice - A management tool designed to prevent migration, organoleptic changes and contamination and to ensure compliance with the most important requirements laid down with regard to packaging
DIN EN 14338		Paper and board intended to come into contact with foodstuffs – Conditions for determination of migration from paper and board using modified polyphenylene oxide (MPPO) as a simulant