New limit value for nickel in accordance with Regulation (EU) 10/2011 comes into force

The European Commission has set a new limit value for nickel in Regulation (EU) 2017/752 of 28 April 2017. In future it will be 0.02 mg/kg per food or food simulant.

Food contact materials made of plastic can be drinks bottles.

The new limit value appears in Annex II of VO (EU) 10/2011 from 19 May 2019.

The background for the new definition of this limit value is that chronic food exposure to nickel, particularly in younger people, is higher than the daily intake recommended by the EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority.

Therefore, producers of plastics that come into contact with food must ensure that no more than 0.02 mg/kg nickel is released from the plastics they produce into the food or corresponding food simulant from 19 May 2019 onward.

Our experts at WESSLING for food contact materials will support you with state-of-the-art laboratory analysis. They will conduct the specific migration of nickel, for example with the 3% acetic acid simulant, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 10/2011. The measurement of nickel from migrate is conducted in our laboratories using ICP-OES/ICP-MS in accordance with the specifications of DIN EN ISO 11885/DIN EN ISO 17294-2.