MIGRATION TEST.

Is it important to perform food contact verifications on FCMs (FCM – Food Contact Materials)?

Yes, because the documentation provided by the manufacturer is not sufficient. In fact, the retailer must verify the reliability of this documentation, as it is his or her responsibility to ensure the food contact suitability of the marketed artifacts.

What are FCMs?

These are the materials and objects intended to come into contact with food. Such materials, before being used in contact with food, must be certified through migration tests to verify that they do not release substances harmful to humans. It is not just kitchen items or packaging, it is also the materials that for example make up the machines or equipment in which food is processed.

What regulations and responsibilities on FCMs?

Enterprises are responsible for:

• ensuring the quality of their products, preventing them from transferring undesirable substances in quantities that endanger human health, at any stage of processing, transformation and distribution (Declaration of Conformity).
• ensuring the traceability of suppliers, raw materials used or items employed by establishing and implementing a quality assurance and quality control system (EC Reg. 2023/2006 – Good Manufacturing Practice) to facilitate control, withdrawal of defective products and allocation of responsibility. finally, they must ensure a suitable storage and preservation system for these materials in terms of food hygiene.