Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006

Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practice for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food

Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practice for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. The EC Regulation was published in the Official Journal (OJ) of the European Communities on 29 December 2006 (OJ No. L 384 29.12.2006). Due to go live by the end of 2007.

Legislation PDF

Has anyone heard of it? What will the effect be?

Regards,
Simon

Dear Simon,

Maybe this helps for background although I suspect you know it already -

"Regulation 2023/2006 on Good Manufacturing Practice

Late 2005, ITX (Isopropylthioxanthone) was discovered in drink cartons for baby-milk in Italy. The transfer of ITX (a substance to be found in printing inks) was due to contact between the printed outer layer with the inner layer of the packaging.

In response, EFSA was asked to give its opinion on the risks for human health and concluded that there was no risk due to the low quantities. Nevertheless, the Commission announced that it would propose legislation to deal with this transfer from printing inks, which would take the form of an implementing measure of Regulation 1935/2004 EC.

In March 2006, the Commission proposed a Regulation on Good Manufacturing Practice. The proposal was finally adopted and published in the Official Journal of 29 December 2006. "

There are also some extracts from the directive in normal English.

http://www.fefco.org/index.php?id=86

The reg. itself states at the end it will come into force on 1st Aug 2008, maybe they speeded it up to assist ??

Rgds / Charles.C

Maybe this helps for background although I suspect you know it already -

I didn’t so thanks for that Charles. I believe the problem of 'start off' or ink transferring from the non food contact side of the packaging to the food contact side is more of a problem with UV ink printing rather than solvent / water based inks. For the latter they usually use hot air to dry the inks, whereas in UV the inks are cured after passing through a UV lamp. I think this process is more unstable, the strength of the bulbs is critical and they degrade after a certain number of hours use, also they can get dirty or get bits of packaging material stuck to them which can also reduce performance. UV lamp control is critical and I guess this is where the regulation is coming from. I heard in the US UV printing is not allowed for food contact packaging, maybe someone could confirm?

Regards,
Simon

Hi Simon,

The new Regulation 2023/2006 on Good Manufacturing Practice will have some impact.
I can only speak for plastics, but there are a large variety of plastics with all their specific characteristics.
You can divide between tube and film, set-off in tube is more a quality problem than food safety.
Set-off in film is primarily food safety issue secondly a quality issue.
There is difference between shrink and non-shrink film/tube.
Set-off in shrink films occurs more easily than in the non-shrink.
Off course I am talking about reeled product.
Migration from ink components trough plastics is generally not considered as a problem, but it is difficult to quantify.
With this additional legislative focus on ink packaging producers and printers that are on the lower end of the marked need to review their processes and this will lead to new insights. If you have ISO 9001:2000 and a kind food safety management system implemented this new GMP regulation should already be part of the daily routine.

Remember to share good fortune with your friends, Okido

Set-off in shrink films occurs more easily than in the non-shrink.

Can you expand for me please okido.

With this additional legislative focus on ink packaging producers and printers that are on the lower end of the marked need to review their processes and this will lead to new insights. If you have ISO 9001:2000 and a kind food safety management system implemented this new GMP regulation should already be part of the daily routine.

I think you are right Okido, and if not it soon will be.

Have a nice weekend, by the way do you get next Monday off in Holland like we do in the UK?

Regards,
Simon

Morning Simon,

We do not have Labour Day or Bank Holiday here in the Netherlands.
We are recuperating from Queens day and preparing for Asencion Day, we close for two days than.

Set-off in shrink films occurs more easily?
Demanding applications were you cook in the bag or sterilize the packed product need inks that can withstand high temperatures, rubbing etc.
These type of inks need to cure for some time after printing. The printed film is winded with some tension and this causes pressure build up between the layers.
Non-shrink films behave like paper, the tension in the roll is winding tension and very little tension caused by shrink, the pressure does not increase much in storage.
Shrink film on the other hand behaves like rubber bands, during production we pull them out as far as possible and than “freeze” them.
With shrink-film you have the tension from winding but also the tension that is in “frozen” state.
However it is not completely “frozen” and it releases some of its shrink force during storage.
That is the reason why pressures can build up too high levels.
The not fully cured ink that is still a little flexible sets-off under the high pressure to the other side of the film or tube.

Remember to share good fortune with your friends, Okido

Dear,
Hi!
this is regarding inquiry about food contact material and surface.
for further detail pl go website on this.

INDUSTRIAL GUIDELINES ON TRACEABILITY OF MATERIALS AND ARTICLES FOR FOOD CONTACT

-HARENDRA.

Dear,
Hi!
this is regarding inquiry about food contact material and surface.
for further detail pl go website on this.

INDUSTRIAL GUIDELINES ON TRACEABILITY OF MATERIALS AND ARTICLES FOR FOOD CONTACT

-HARENDRA.

Cannot see a link Harendra???

Dear Simon,

Apologies for minor hijacking of Harendra/s post. Googling the identical text in post seems to directly indicate a very large (7MB / 138pgs) pdf file which surprisinly opened quite quickly although the URL looks a bit weird –

http://crl-fcm.jrc.i...m...view&gid=39

Looks rather interesting if I hv guessed correctly although relates to 2004 rather than 2006 of main thread. (Not my field so maybe been superceded by another newer version or the previous posts tis thread) .

Opening text reads -

The objective of this paper is to provide guidelines to the industry on how to implement
traceability in order to fulfil the requirements set down in Article 17 of the Framework
Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004) on materials and articles in contact with food.

Harendra ??

Rgds / Charles.C

Hi All,

Is there anybody who has experience with the implementation of Regulation 2023/2006, GMP for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.
I am interested mainly in the annex that is about inks.

commission de surendettement

Hi W.

Could you be more specific, I implemented the reg some time ago.

Remember to share good furtune with friends, Okido