2026 marks a watershed year for Food Contact Material (FCM) compliance in the European Union. The new plastics regulation is now in force, and the requirements on Non-Intentionally Added Substances (NIAS) and on the purity of starting substances have become legally binding. Since 16 September 2026, plastic articles produced under the old rules can no longer be placed on the EU market for the first time. RASFF data point in the same direction.
Between July and September 2026, new EU regulations significantly reshaped compliance for food contact materials (FCM). Key changes include a full ban on bisphenol A in single-use FCM, PPWR restrictions limiting PFAS in food packaging, updated purity rules for plastic FCM, and formal PET bottle recycled-content calculation guidelines including chemical recycling. Exporters must now back every shipment with updated Declarations of Conformity, mandatory BPA test reports (1 µg/kg detection limit), and documented PFAS screenings. Furthermore, recent RASFF data highlights bisphenol S, mineral oil, formaldehyde, and primary aromatic amine migrations as top compliance risks requiring routine testing.
Recently, the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) reported 15 cases of food-contact materials failing sampling inspections. Of these, 9 originated from China, 1 each from Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands, and 3 from unknown sources. The main reasons for non-compliance in this batch of notifications were: excessive migration of heavy metals — 10 cases; excessive migration of aromatic amines — 3 cases; missing compliance documentation — 2 cases; and insufficient product testing — 1 case.
In May 2026, the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) issued multiple notifications concerning food contact materials (FCMs). The alerts highlight ongoing compliance issues related to heavy metal migration, primary aromatic amine (PAA) release, and incomplete documentation.
On January 22, 2025, the European Union officially published the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40, also known as PPWR. This regulation will fully replace the existing Directive 94/62/EC on August 12, 2026, becoming the primary EU legislation for the management of packaging and packaging waste.
Recently, the health risks associated with Bisphenol A (BPA) have once again garnered widespread public attention. As a professional testing organization, CIRS Testing is here to provide an in-depth interpretation of the potential hazards of BPA and how to effectively prevent exposure in daily life based on our research practices and updates on relevant regulations.
On August 1, 2024, the European Quality Council for Medicines and Healthcare (EQDM) announced the release of the second edition of the technical guide "Metals and Alloys used in Food Contact Materials and Articles 2024," which will replace the previous CM/Res (2013) 9 version.
Ceramic products, as traditional materials for food contact, are ubiquitous in the daily lives of people worldwide. Items such as bowls, cups, soup pots, tea sets, knives, ladles, plates, and dishes are commonly made of ceramic materials. Ceramics are generally perceived by the public as safe, non-toxic, and healthy materials for daily life. They come in diverse shapes, with smooth and delicate surfaces, vibrant colors, and are easy to clean, making them highly favored by many. However, ceramic products still pose safety risks, primarily stemming from the glazing process. Glazes often contain sodium silicate and metal salts, and coloring pigments may also include metal salts, leading to the potential leaching of heavy metals. Therefore, countries worldwide have established clear regulatory requirements for ceramic products.
On July 12, 2023, the European Commission published Regulation (EU) No 2023/1442, amending the EU Food Contact Plastic Materials Regulation (EU) No 10/2011. The regulation has come into effect on August 1, 2023.
On November 26, 2021, the Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture adopted the 21st Amendments, updating the "Consumer Products Regulations" again. This update is mainly to increase the relevant provisions of printing or varnishes for food contact materials and products in the "Consumer Products Regulations". The amendments were published in the Federal Law Gazette on December 7, 2021, and came into force on December 8, 2021, with a transition period of four to f
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