1. Plastics in contact with foodstuffs

1.1 Why regulate?

The answer to this question is simple: to ensure consumer safety in a field where innovation is constant.

Food packaging is a sector in which plastics have come to play an important role: dairy and grocery products, meats and fish, and beverages are now routinely packaged in plastic, both as a substitute for and sometimes in combination with more traditional materials.

In addition to their specific qualities, these packages have above all made it easier to distribute foodstuffs (easier transport and lighter weight) and have improved the preservation of their integrity thanks to their barrier effect against micro-organisms, oxygen and external pollutants.

The possibility of foodstuffs coming into...