EC food contact legislation and how in the future it may be applied to lacquer‐coated food and beverage cans

Metal cans are extensively used, in the retail distribution of foods and beverages, where packaging is required to be both robust and able to withstand sterilisation temperatures. Internal lacquer barrier coatings on the cans play an important role in maintaining the quality of the contents, by preventing any unacceptable metal contamination. It is, however, necessary to ensure that the presence of the lacquer does not itself make the contents unsafe. As yet, the European Commission has produced no directive relating specifically to safety rules for contact between foodstuffs and polymeric or plastic coatings on metal substrates (e.g. lacquer‐coated cans). It is therefore necessary to turn to individual national laws and regulations, or the Council of Europe Resolution on Coatings, for assurance on the safety of lacquer‐coated food and beverage cans. Discusses existing EC food contact legislation, and its possible future application to lacquer‐coated food and beverage cans.