Food safety has become an undeniable priority in the packaging industry. As food contact materials evolve, so does their regulatory framework, which is becoming increasingly complex and demanding

Regulation 2025/40 on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR) redefines food safety from a comprehensive approach to sustainability and control of packaging substances and components.

 

In this context, the role of research centers is essential. Our commitment involves transferring scientific research and technology to the industrial sector, offering companies throughout the packaging value chain the knowledge and analytical capabilities they need to adapt to new requirements.

 

One of the most important challenges for food safety is the elimination of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), used for decades for their high mechanical resistance and the non-stick, grease-proof, and water-repellent properties they give to packaging. These compounds take years to degrade and can accumulate in the environment and the food chain. For this reason, the PPWR will ban the use of PFAS in packaging intended to come into contact with food from August 2026, establishing specific limits and requiring companies to seek alternatives such as water-based, vegetable-based, or mineral-based coatings.

 

Added to this challenge are other substances such as NIAS (non-intentionally added substances) that are generated during degradation, reaction, or cross-contamination processes, and whose nature requires exhaustive analysis to determine the suitability of packaging materials, their effect on product properties, and their compliance with applicable requirements. That is why it is important to carry out a series of specific analytical studies on migration, characterization, and verification—conducted by highly specialized laboratories such as ITENE—with the aim of preventing possible effects on consumers.

After all, behind innovation in food packaging there is a necessary analysis that guarantees consumer safety without sacrificing technical performance. Our job as a research center is to support the industry so that this convergence between safety, functionality, circularity, and regulatory compliance becomes a reality.

 

Javier Zabaleta