Safety assessment of bleached cellulose pulp for use in plastic food contact materials
Meta data
Note: The full opinion will be published in accordance with Article 10(6) of Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 once the decision on confidentiality, in line with Article 20(3) of the Regulation, will be received from the European Commission. The following information have been provided under confidentiality and they are deleted awaiting the decision of the Commission: information on the manufacturing process (Section 3.1.1) and on migration of the substance (Section 3.1.3).
Competing interests: R. Franz declared that Fraunhofer institute at which he is employed provides advisory services to private business operators active in the sector on food contact materials. In line with EFSA’s Policy on Independence (https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/corporate_publications/f…) and the Decision of the Executive Director on Competing Interest Management (https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/corporate_publications/f…), a waiver was granted to R. Franz regarding his participation to the EFSA’s Working Group on Food Contact Materials (FCM WG) in accordance with Article 21 of the Decision of the Executive Director on Competing Interest Management. Pursuant to Article 21(6) of the above‐mentioned Decision, the involvement of R. Franz is authorised as member in the FCM WG, allowing him to take part in the discussions and in the drafting phase of the scientific output, but he is not allowed to be, or act as, a chairman, a vice‐chairman or rapporteur of the working group.
Abstract
The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids assessed the safety of the substance bleached cellulose pulp, consisting of cellulose fibres (70–92%) and hemicellulose (8–30%) obtained from pine and spruce wood. The substance is intended to be used ■■■■■ in polyethylene and polypropylene food contact materials. The final articles are intended to be used for all food types and for long‐term storage at room temperature, with or without a short time at higher temperature, including hot‐fill. Low‐density polyethylene samples containing ■■■■■ of the substance were subjected to a broad set of migration tests with food simulants and extraction tests with dichloromethane. The limits of detection ranged from ■■■■■ (when specified). The Panel noted that they do not ensure the detection of genotoxic substances at a concentration leading to a human exposure above the Threshold of Toxicological Concern. Moreover, not all possibly migrating substances were identified or amenable to the analytical methods applied. No toxicological data were provided for the substance itself, as its migration into food is not expected. The safety of the potentially migrating substances of low molecular mass detected was addressed individually and was considered adequate. However, the Panel considered this approach insufficient owing to a substantial fraction of unidentified components. The Panel concluded that the information provided by the applicant does not allow the safety assessment of the substances below 1,000 Da from bleached cellulose pulp from pine and spruce wood used in plastic food contact materials potentially migrating into food. Therefore, the Panel could not conclude on the safety of the use of bleached cellulose pulp from pine and spruce wood as a plastic additive.