MATERIALS INTENDED TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH FOOD

The area of materials and articles intended to come into contact with food is governed by an extensive body of regulations at the global level, and has become a constant feature of international legislation concerning the agri-food chain. This regulatory focus reflects the broader framework of a transnational legal dimension, which increasingly encompasses this highly specialized sector. While national approaches to regulating food contact materials (FCMs) differ across continents, they are unified by common principles such as the protection of consumer health and the safety of substances used in the manufacture of such materials. In the international context, regulations may vary significantly by country, but they share the overarching goal of ensuring that materials do not pose a risk to human health. This work presents a comprehensive review of European legislation, alongside the most relevant international regulatory frameworks, with particular attention to how these rules interact with the general food law and the discipline of official controls. In the following sections, a brief comparative overview of regulatory approaches in selected countries is provided to illustrate the global landscape in this field.