Quality and safety aspects of reusable plastic food packaging materials: A European study to underpin future legislation

The objective of this study was to develop a comprehensive package of quality assurance criteria for use by industry and regulatory authorities for ensuring the quality and safety-in-use (sensory, microbiological and chemical) of reused plastics for food packaging. The study included thermal degradation effects, flavour carry-over caused by flavour and off-flavour substances, the influence of washing processes on the materials, and the efficiency of washing processes in removing offflavour substances and surrogate substances representing misuse chemicals as might be put in bottles by consumers. The microbial safety of the refillable plastic articles in relation to commercial washing processes and the industrial procedures applied has also been investigated. Lastly, the suitability of laboratory procedures using strips of bottle material for predicting the sorption and washing properties of refillable plastic bottles has been studied. In general it is concluded that reuse of the articles does not significantly influence any of the properties investigated. Neither the chemical, physical nor surface properties seem to be significantly influenced by repeated washing. It can be concluded, however, that it is very likely that most of the articles investigated will cause flavour carry-over to a new filling if they are contaminated with strongly flavoured products. Finally it can be concluded that the procedures evaluated can serve as a basis for future legislation on refillable articles, but for several procedures (like quick predictive testing with strips) more investigation is required to create a more solid basis.