Controls of importers of food contact materials and distributors (wholesalers) as a control theme.
The control network for food contact materials has discussed and agreed on the control theme “Controls of importers and distributors (wholesalers) of food contact materials and articles". The control theme is implemented as part of the regular food controls between September 2018 and September 2019, when the selected control targets will be businesses carrying out imports of and wholesale trading in food contact materials, if there are such businesses within the area covered by the control unit. Finnish Food Authority’s control form is to be used during the control.
Advice for the businesses is emphasized in connection with the controls, which includes instructions on how to ensure the safety of and other conformity with the standards for imported food contact materials. The intention is also to have all businesses importing food contact materials and carrying out wholesale trading entered in the food control register.
The import of different food contact materials made of plastic containing bamboo has increased in the last year. The consumer does not always understand that they are buying a plastic product as they are marketed in a misleading way using the environmentally friendly and safe notion created by the bamboo content. During the period of this control theme, the way these products are marketed and the labelling of the packaging are therefore also checked and the businesses are advised to label the products in such a way that the consumer does not get the wrong idea about the material used in these products.
Activities within the field of food contact materials are manufacturing and downstream production, importation and wholesale trading of food contact materials and products.
In Finland the food control authorities control the activities dealing with food contact materials by carrying out regular controls of these businesses. The control network for food contact materials is a co-operation network of the municipal food controllers and Finnish Food Authority. The purpose of the network is to give peer support to the controllers and to function as a channel for Finnish Food Authority’s guidance on the controls.
The number of controls of food contact materials have been very few in recent years (only 11-14 % of the registered businesses) and only a fraction of the importers have been subjected to controls. The import of food contact materials has increased and there are often problems with for example the proof of conformity for these products.
It has also been noted that there is insecurity among importers and wholesale distributors as to the responsibility of each business for the demonstration of the safety and other conformity of food contact materials and products. It can be assumed that not all businesses are aware of the fact that they are to report their activity to the local food control office.