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Identification of stages in the production of paper and board packaging materials where chemical hazards to food safety may occur

Project Code: A03006

01/03/2011

Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ
Bradley, E ;
Central Science Laboratory
Castle, L;
Kings College London
Jickells, S

It was the intention of this project to gather basic information on the usage of chemicals in the manufacture of paper and board materials intended for food packaging applications. This information was to be coupled with processing conditions that could affect the fate of these chemicals, including their stability and solubility in process water. The objective was to identify those chemicals that might reasonably be expected to remain in the finished product and hence transfer to packaged food. However, enough information on this could not be obtained from paper mills, for reasons of confidentiality, lack of resource at the mills, and because in many instances the mills did not have detailed knowledge of the chemical composition of the papermaking ormulations and services that they buy-in.

It was concluded that, since insufficient information is available regarding the usage and fate of the chemicals employed, there seems to be no alternative to an analysis of the finished materials to measure chemical content and assess their potential to release substances to foods placed in contact with them.

Final report

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