Understanding ASTM, FDA, and EU Food Contact Material Testing Requirements
For modern food packaging manufacturers, the landscape has shifted from a focus on shelf-life and aesthetics to surviving a regulatory minefield. The industry is currently grappling with a dual challenge: adhering to increasingly complex global safety standards while rapidly phasing out legacy materials, like Bisphenol A (BPA), in favor of safer alternatives. Section 1: The 2026 Regulatory Landscape (EU & FDA) Navigating international trade requires understanding fundamentally philosophies regarding food contact materials (FCMs). 1. The Precautionary Principle vs. Risk-Based Management EU (Precautionary Principle): The European Union operates on the basis that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm, the burden of proof that it is not harmful falls on those taking the action. This leads to swifter, blanket bans on specific chemicals. FDA (Risk-Based): The United States FDA ...