10 Nov 2020 MOCA Compliant Labelling

What Does MOCA Mean?
MOCA stands for Materials and Objects in Contact with Food.

MOCA materials are regulated both by national and European measures:

• Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.
• Regulation (EC) 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practice for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.
• Regulation (EU) 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.
• Italian Ministerial Decree of 21 March 1973, concerning the sanitary regulation of packaging, containers and equipment intended to come into contact with foodstuffs or with substances for personal use.
• Italian Legislative Decree 29/2017 Sanctions for the violation of the provisions of EC regulations on food contact materials.

 

In particular, Regulation (EU) 1935/2004 establishes that all materials and objects must be manufactured in accordance with good manufacturing practice and, in normal or foreseeable conditions of use, must not transfer to foodstuffs components in quantities such as to:

• Represent a hazard to human health.
• Cause an unacceptable change to the composition of foodstuffs.
• Lead to a deterioration of the organoleptic properties.

 

Do Food Labels Fall under this Category?

Yes, labels in direct or indirect contact with foodstuffs are regulated by the MOCA regulation. They must indeed guarantee that no hazardous substance migrates into the foodstuffs.

What does direct and indirect contact mean?

• Direct contact: labels applied directly to the foodstuff (fruit with edible or non-edible skin, dried foods, foods which are dry and moist but not fat, fats and fresh meat).
• Indirect contact: label applied to primary packaging, all packaging types excluding aluminium and glass.

 

What does migration mean?

Migration means transfer (passage, loss) of substances which could contaminate the foodstuff or substance (“volatile” or “semi-volatile”) which can come into contact with the end user.

What are the steps to creating a MOCA-compliant label?

1. Evaluate the type of application, whether direct or indirect contact, the type of application surface and the conditions of application/use.
2. Choose materials functional to the type of application, which have been declared to comply with direct/indirect contact with foodstuffs in accordance with applicable legislation, and which are environmentally sustainable, where possible.
3. Choose suitable printing techniques.
4. Analyse the graphics.
5. Perform any migration tests to prove a lack of migration of substances towards the foodstuff and the consumer.

 

Our team can help you create a label which is functional and compliant with the MOCA regulation.