MOCA Certification – Materials and Objects in Contact with Food
MOCA Consulting – Materials and Objects in Contact with Food
Compliance with MOCA (Materials and Objects in Contact with Food) regulations is essential for those who produce or use materials intended for the food industry, according to Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 and specific industry standards.
Materials or objects in contact with food are regulated by specific regulations to ensure food safety and consumer health. These materials can include a wide range of products, such as components and machinery.
Here are some important aspects regarding these materials:
1. Regulations: In Europe, Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 is a framework regulation that establishes the general requirements for materials intended to come into contact with food. This regulation requires that materials do not release hazardous substances, i.e., do not alter the organoleptic characteristics of food in quantities that could compromise human health. The key aspects addressed by the regulation are: declaration of conformity, traceability, and tracking.
2. Types of materials: Food contact materials can be of various types, including plastic, rubber, steel, glass, metal, paper, and cardboard. Each of these materials must meet specific safety requirements.
3. Compliance testing: Materials must be tested to verify their suitability for food contact, including global and specific migration tests to ensure they do not release harmful substances.
4. Labeling: It is important that materials are properly labeled to inform consumers of their safety and proper use.
5. Monitoring and supervision: The competent authorities carry out checks to ensure that food contact materials comply with regulations and to protect public health. Indeed, manufacturers of components and machinery, whether self-employed or on behalf of third parties, are responsible for notifying the SUAP (Italian Food Safety Authority) of the start of production of MOCA materials, in accordance with Article 6 of Legislative Decree 29/2017.
Compliance with these standards is essential to ensure that foods remain safe during storage, preparation, and consumption.
Distributors to the end consumer and users of MOCA are exempt from the reporting requirement. This requirement waivers for those who do not process the product and use it in their own operations.
PMTech offers support to manufacturers of food contact components and materials (MOCA) throughout all stages of regulatory compliance. This includes material analysis, conformity assessment, preparation of required documentation, and training on specific standards and regulations. This consultancy aims to ensure that products are safe, compliant with current regulations, and ready for the market, thus facilitating the process of compliance with specific regulations and reducing the risk of non-compliance. Compliance can also be a great opportunity for manufacturers of components or machinery to become leaders in regulated and specific sectors and to meet the requirements of major players who set market rules.
