Open AccessSafety assessment of the process ‘Coexpan Deutschland’, based on EREMA Basic technology, used to recycle post‐consumer PET into food contact materials
Author(s) -
Silano Vittorio,
Bolognesi Claudia,
Castle Laurence,
Cravedi JeanPierre,
Engel KarlHeinz,
Fowler Paul,
Grob Konrad,
Gürtler Rainer,
Husøy Trine,
Kärenlampi Sirpa,
Mennes Wim,
Penninks André,
Smith Andrew,
Tavares Poças Maria de Fátima,
Tlustos Christina,
Wölfle Detlef,
Zorn Holger,
Zugravu CorinaAurelia,
Dudler Vincent,
Gontard Nathalie,
Lampi Eugenia,
Nerin Cristina,
Papaspyrides Constantine,
Volk Katharina,
Milana Maria Rosaria
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
efsa journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.076
H-Index - 97
ISSN - 1831-4732
DOI - 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4846
Subject(s) - food contact materials , human decontamination , food packaging , process (computing) , process engineering , thermoforming , environmental science , residence time (fluid dynamics) , pet food , waste management , materials science , pulp and paper industry , computer science , food science , engineering , composite material , chemistry , geotechnical engineering , operating system
This scientific opinion of the EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids ( CEF Panel) deals with the safety assessment of the Coexpan Deutschland recycling process ( EU register number RECYC 0140), which is based on the EREMA Basic technology. The input to this process is hot washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) ( PET ) flakes originating from collected post‐consumer PET containers, containing no more than 5% PET from non‐food consumer applications. In this technology, post‐consumer washed and dried PET flakes are heated in a continuous reactor under vacuum before being extruded. Having examined the results of the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the continuous reactor step (step 2) is the critical step that determines the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters controlling its performance are well defined and are temperature, pressure and residence time. It was demonstrated that, depending on the operating conditions, the recycling process under evaluation is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below a conservatively modelled migration of 0.15 μg/kg food, derived from the exposure scenario for toddlers. The Panel concluded that recycled PET obtained from the process is not of safety concern when the final thermoformed trays and containers manufactured with the recycled sheets and not used for packaging water contain up to 100% recycled post‐consumer PET . Thermoformed trays are not intended to be used and should not be used in microwave and conventional ovens.