Food Contact Statements and Competences

How do I perform a proper risk assessment at my stage within the supply chain? What do I need to be aware of when selecting raw materials? Who can help me with analytical assessments and toxicological evaluations in terms of food safe packaging? We offer comprehensive information on both our food contact statements and our triple safety evaluation competence that provide answers to these other questions to help prove your own safety.

Comprehensive information for the food safety supply chain

Food packaging safety is an issue to which Henkel – as one of the leading adhesive suppliers – is deeply committed. Our contribution to the food safety supply chain is providing our customers with important information so that they can perform their proper risk assessment. Henkel's Food Contact Statements provide comprehensive information on our adhesives in terms of legislation, risk assessment and responsibilities.

Importance of Food Contact Statements

The topic of food contact has been on the rise and resulted in a growing number of new regulations being developed. However, in Europe there is no specific legislation concerning adhesives, but topics such as compliance, food contact materials or risk assessments have been put forward by legal requirements. The European legislation e.g. demands to carry out risk assessments on each stage of the supply chain:

• Raw material supplier: needs to make a risk assessment on the material
• Adhesive supplier: needs to make a risk assessment on the adhesive
• Converter: needs to make a risk assessment on the final packaging
• Food producer: needs to make a risk assessment on the packaged food

As a producer of packaging adhesives, Henkel is part of the supply chain for food contact materials. Following the European food contact legislation, we are obliged to perform a risk assessment for our food packaging products and have to give adequate information to our customers in order to allow the next stage of the supply chain to carry out an own risk assessment. One of Henkel’s contributions to the food safety supply chain are our in-depth food contact statements in which we, among others, specify potential migrants that have to be checked in the final packaging.

Contents of Henkel’s Food Contact Statements

Our food contact statements do not disclose our formulations, but they are the result of the risk assessment on our stage of the supply chain. Following the recommendation of the European adhesives association (FEICA, Fédération Européenne des Industries de Colles et Adhésifs), which published a guidance for a food contact status declaration for adhesives in February 2013 and the Union Guidance on Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, the Plastics Regulation, our documents have a well-defined structure. Contents of our food contact statements include:

• Detailed explanations on the valid legislations for food contact adhesives (e.g. Framework Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004, GMP Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006)
• Description of realization of compliance with legislation (applying HACCP)
• Explanations on Henkel’s risk assessment based on EU legislations, national provisions, migration test results, toxicological assessments, worst-case calculations and migration modeling
• Clear assignment of responsibilities between Henkel and its customers (e.g. migration testing, control of organoleptic properties)
• Clear communication of migration test conditions
• Additional chapters: NIAS, mineral oil components (MOSH, MOAH) and POSH

Vast experience in the analysis of adhesives and raw materials

Over the years, Henkel has accumulated vast experience in the analysis of adhesives and the assessment of raw materials. This expertise helps to deepen the understanding on food safe packaging. Our aim is to share our knowledge and help you become more food safe in your packaging operations. On this page, we provide you with detailed information about Henkel’s triple safety evaluation competence, encompassing our supplier information assessment, analytical assessments and toxicological assessments.

Regulatory Assessment

In order to ensure safety of food packaging adhesives, Henkel has implemented a strict raw material selection process for GMP compliance: the supplier questionnaire.

Among others, the questionnaire requires:

• Specifications according to food contact criteria
• A clear commitment of the supplier with respect to maximum concentration levels of substances of concern
• A clear commitment of the supplier to promptly notify Henkel about any change in the provided information before the change occurs and as soon as any new information about the product is known

Analytical Assessment

Henkel’s analytical center in Düsseldorf possesses more than 100 years of experience in the analysis of adhesives. It offers diverse services on food safe packaging to customers and all business units of Henkel. The analytical center is certified according to DIN ISO 9001 and accredited according to DIN ISO 17025. In addition, it is notified as a GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) test facility and pharmaceutical test laboratory to follow GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) guidelines. With these quality standards, we cover the most relevant analytical requests from all Henkel business sectors and related external markets, and guarantee independence in the evaluation of the test results on food safety and food packaging.

Toxicological Assessment

Analytical assessments are not always sufficient for defining if all food safety risks are eliminated. Henkel’s food safety evaluation competence also comprises toxicological assessments of raw materials and final adhesive formulations.

They can be performed in 2 ways:

• Based on information obtained via Henkel’s supplier questionnaire
• In case information from the supplier questionnaire is not sufficient for a complete assessment, the market unique toxicology department at Henkel steps in to ensure that safety for food applications is provided