In view of this, packaging of food products has attained top priority, which has increased both in quantum as well as in variety.

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Colleen Summers
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1 Paper no.: 12 Paper Title: Food Packaging Technology Module-02: Legal standards for packaging materials 2.1 Introduction Bureau of Indian Standards is responsible for formulation of national standards in India in various fields of technology and science. BIS has developed Packaging Code on foodstuffs and perishables. One of the main aims of standardization is to enhance acceptance and movement of goods at National/Global market by providing guideline standards covering packaging requirements utilizing packaging sizes. Packaging is a product of consumer interest, the cost of which is borne indirectly by consumer involving factors as safety, health, and fitness for purpose, comfort, reliability, environment protection, and energy conservation. In view of this, packaging of food products has attained top priority, which has increased both in quantum as well as in variety. 2.2 Roles and Importance of Standardization Need of standardization Standardization and Quality Control are effective management tools applicable to areas like plastic industry. Any development thrust could be rendered meaningless if we are unable to produce plastics to meet global market demand at competitive cost. Hence the backbone of any programme of growth and advancement should be the availability of standards on the basis of which viability of skill and profitability of the enterprise can be assessed. Hence it is essential to have documented specification on Packaging Code, raw material, finished products methods of tests etc Assessment of Technology and Product Standardization and quality control provide tools to assess and receive the high technology necessary in this area. To help the manufactures, Transport engineering Department has formulated standards on Packaging Code by Transport Packages and Packaging Codes Sectional Committee, which gives guidelines on the packaging of foodstuffs and perishables. In this code shelf life requirements are kept in mind as there is increase in types of materials and processes. [IS (Part l/sec 1)]. To assist packers to take reasonable precaution to protect packages and their contents from attack by microorganisms, the code provides essential information and details. The appropriate method depends upon the environment and susceptibility of the package and its contents to spoilage [IS (Part II Sec 6)]. The standard lays down the guiding factors that affect the selection of package for a particular product. The aim is to provide a source of information on the methods and materials used in packaging and provide guidance as to how they should be selected and used, in a generalized way since packaging requirements of any two products may differ fundamentally and no two products will be precisely identical [(IS (Part I/Sec 1): 1982].

2 2.3 Standardization in the Field of Plastics for Food Packaging Standards for other products have been formulated by concerned technical departments depending upon the end use. Plastics are being used on a large scale for packaging of foodstuffs, where direct contact occurs between the packed commodity and plastics. There is a likelihood of transfer of polymer additives, impurities such as monomer; catalyst remnants etc. from plastics into the packaged material resulting in toxic hazard to consumers of product packed in plastics. Now to help the manufacturers of basic raw-materials and fabricators of articles to assess the quality of their product, plastics Sectional Committee given below had formulated Indian Standards: a. Food Grade plastics b. Food Contact Plastics Containers c. Method of Test for Plastics d. Plastic Products e. Plastic Sheets and Films f. Thermoplastics g. Thermosetting Plastics There are 12 different types of thermoplastics used as raw materials for manufacturing of plastic products along with separate standard on positive list of constituents that have been formulated. These standards prescribe requirements, methods of test and sampling for respective materials, vis-a-vis positive list of constituents of respective material such as homopolymer, polymer etc. The standards are used for food contact application and to be used in combination to provide a system of control to the plastic manufactures as well as fabricators of thermoplastics packaging material to derive maximum benefits. Bureau has formulated a guide on suitability of plastics for food packaging (IS 10171). It provides guidance to the food packer in selecting the specific thermoplastic material to design an acceptable food packaging system. Since there is always the possibility of transfer of a part of packaging material to the contents of packed material due to intimate contact, it is essential that formulation of the package should be selected to ensure that any such transfer is at minimum and substances which do migrate from the package to the packed material are within limits and cause no toxic hazards when consumed. Advances in Food Packaging: Plastics raw materials are available in various forms such as foil, sheet, bottle, jar, jerry can sachet and containers of all shapes and sizes for food packaging. These are normally based on single plastics materials Special Applications: More than one plastic raw material may be used. Co-extruded film, sheet, bottle etc. are based on two or more raw material extruded together. These are specialized food packaging materials in which inner layer is in contact with food while the outer layer serves other functional requirements. Lamination or film is another area in packaging, finding wide applications for food packaging, which is provided by the use of thermoplastic polyester (PET) and extruded, metallized and coated films respectively.

3 Migration Test: Through Indian Standards on food contact plastics, a new classification of food products based on its nature (acidic or not, aqueous) dairy products have been prepared. Safety of thermoplastics could be ensured by testing against simulants, which may be identified based on the nature of product. The ingredients in the plastic packaging material cause toxicity as a result of their migration to foodstuffs. It is very difficult to analyse actual foodstuffs for nature and quantity of migrants from plastics as well as to estimate all the migrants individually. Hence as a good measure, the Overall Migration of all the migrants is considered for safe use unless their limits are fixed. For Food grade plastics an Indian Standard IS 'Method of analysis for determination of overall migration of plastics constituents' has been formulated to help the manufacturers in the above. 2.4 REGULATIONS Indian Standards Indian standards serve as a basis for official agencies to frame suitable legislations to ensure effective safe guards for the safety and health of consumers. Where thermoplastic for food contact applications are concerned, they help statutory bodies to effectively monitor the quality of plastics for end use Polystyrene Crystal and high impact material are considered as safe for use as articles/components intended for use in producing, manufacturing, packing, processing, preparing treating, packaging, transporting or holding food in accordance with USFDA Regulations, British Plastics Federation and EEC Directives Additives Information on efficient and cost-effective additives which can be safely used in contact with foodstuffs in available from British Indust4rial Biological Research Association (BIBRA) Resins Their use is guided by EEC directives /EEC J11 Europe, FDA regulations on USA, BVGW and hygiene Institute in Germany Tests Regulations involved in method of tests are: Code 21 of FDA Central Food and Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore assists in developing the Method of Tests of Food contact applications. 2.5 PRECAUTIONARY INFORMATION

4 a. The Indian Standards does not take any responsibility regarding suitability of the bonding material or printing ink used for food packaging applications b. It does not cover recycled plastics for food packaging applications. 2.6 LIST OF INDIAN STANDARDS l. IS 10141:2001 Positive list of constituents of polyethelene in contact with foodstuffs, Pharmaceuticals and drinking water (first revision) 2. IS 10142:1999 Polystyrene (crystal and high impact) for its safe use contact with (first revision) 3 IS 10146:1982 Polyethylene for its safe use in contact with foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and drinking water 4. IS 10148:1982 Positive list of constituents of polyvinyl chloride and its copolymers for safe use in contact with foodstuffs pharmaceuticals and drinking water. 5. IS 10149: 1982 Positive list of constituent of polystyrene (crystal and high impact) in contact with 6. IS10151: 1982 Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and its copolymers for its safe use in contact with 7. IS 10171: 1999 Guide on suitability of plastics for food packaging (second revision) 8. IS 10909:2001 Positive list of constituents of polypropylene and its copolymers in contact with (first revision) 9. IS 10910:1984 Polypropylene and its copolymers for its safe use contact with foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and drinking water polyester resin systems (First revision). 10. IS 11704:1986 Ethylene acrylic acid (EAA) copolymers for their safe use in contact with 1l. IS 705: Positive list of constituents of ethylene/acrylic acid (KAA) copolymers for their use In contact with 12. IS 12229:1987 Positive list of constituents of polyalkylene terephthalates (PET & PBT) for their safe use III contact with 13. IS 12247:1988 Nylon-6 polymer for its safe use in contact with foodstuffs pharmaceuticals and drinking water 14. IS 12248: 1988 Positive list of constituents of nylon-6 polymer for its safe use in contact with 15 IS 12252: 1987 Polyalkylene terephthalates (PET & PBT) for their safe use in contact with

5 16. IS (Part Plastics - Methods of testing Part 11: Special properties Section /ISO polymers/resins in the liquid state or as 3219:1993 emulsions or dispersions - Determination of viscosity using a rotational viscometer with defined shear rate 17. IS 13410: 1992 Glass reinforced polyester sheet moulding compounds (SMC) 18. IS 13411: 1992 Glass reinforced polyester dough moulding compounds 19. IS : 1992 Ethylene menthacrylic acid (EMAA) copolymers and terpolyrners for their safe use contact with 20. IS 13577: 1992 Positive list of constituents of ethylene methacrylic acid (EMAA) copolymers and terpolymers In contact with 2l. IS 13601: 1993 Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers for its safe use in contact with 22. IS 13449: 1992 Positive list of constituents of ethylene vinylacetate (EVA) copolymers in contact with 23. IS 13463:1992 Polyamida (nylon 6) material for moulding and extrusion 24. IS 13464: 1992 Polyamide (nylon 66) materials for moulding and extrusion 25. IS 14971: 2001 Polycarbonate resins for its safe use in contact with foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and drinking water 26. IS 14972: 2001 Positive list of constituents of polycarbonate resins in contact with 27. IS 14995:2001 Stretch Cling films 28. IS 14996:2001 Positive list of constituents of modified polyphenylene oxide (PPO) in contact with 29. IS :2001 Modified polyphenylene oxide (PPO) for their safe use in contact with 30. IS 14998:2001 Positive list of constituents of melamine formaldehyde resins in contact with 31. IS Melamine-formaldehyde moulding materials for its safe sue in contact with 32. IS (P-l): Packaging Code: Part I Factors affecting the selection of packaging 33. IS (P- Packaging Code: Part 1 Product packaging 1)/Sec I: Section 1 Foodstuffs and perishables

6 34. IS (part 1) Packaging Code: Part 1 Product packaging-sec 6: 1992 Section 6- Protection against spoilage of packages and their contents by microorganisms, insects, miles and Rodents 35. IS 9845: 1998 Determination of Overall Migration of Constituents of Plastics material

Military Specifications

Military Specifications *MIL-P-77 *MIL-P-78A MIL-P-79C MIL-W-80C MIL-I-631D MIL-I-742C *MIL-P-997C MIL-P-997D Cast Polyester or Diallylpthlalate Sheet and Rod Engraving Stock Rigid Laminated Sheet Thermoset