The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released draft changes to its food packaging rules that would permit specified recycled plastics in food-contact packaging.
The proposed amendments concern the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulations, 2018.
FSSAI has opened a 60-day consultation period for stakeholders to submit objections or suggestions before the rules are considered further.
One proposed change would allow polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) obtained through chemical recycling to be used in food-contact materials.
Their use would depend on the recycled output meeting the same requirements applied to virgin material.
The draft notification states that recycled PE and PP produced through the chemical recycling process "may be used for food-contact materials, only when the output (end product) is considered equivalent to virgin material and meets the criteria applicable to virgin material".
A separate provision addresses multilayer packaging.
Under the draft, recycled polymer sourced entirely from food-grade packaging material could be used in the outermost layer of multilayer packaging intended for food contact.
The draft states that "recycled polymer derived exclusively from food-grade packaging material may be used in the outermost layer of multilayer packaging material intended for food contact."
This permission would be subject to packaging design requirements.
The layers between the outermost layer and the food must prevent substances from the recycled material from migrating into the contents.
The finished packaging must also remain within existing migration limits.
The notification specifies that the inner layers must "possess adequate barrier properties to prevent migration of substances from the outermost layer into the food."
FSSAI draft regulations "shall be taken into consideration after the expiry of the period of 60 days" from that date.
Comments submitted during the consultation window will be reviewed by the authority before it decides whether to advance the amendments.
