On February 14, 2013 the EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF) published a scientific opinion approving the recycling process “PKR” used to recycle post-consumer PET. Material recycled through this process can be used at levels up to 100% in food contact applications. The scientific opinion was a response to a request by the German Federal Department for Consumer Protection and Food Safety on behalf of the PET Kunststoffrecycling GmbH. Challenge tests were carried out in accordance with the criteria established by EFSA in 2011 (CEF, 2011) and resulted in migration below 0.1µg/kg food. According to the challenge test the recycling process accomplishes decontamination efficiencies of more than 96.2%.
References
EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF). “Scientific Opinion on the safety evaluation of the process “PKR”, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.” EFSA journal 2013; 11(2):3095 [14pp].
EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF). “Scientific Opinion on the criteria to be used for safety evaluation of a mechanical recycling process to produce recycled PET intended to be used for manufacture of materials and articles in contact with food.” EFSA Journal 2011;9(7):2184. [25 pp.].
