Guide to good manufacturing and hygiene practices for metal packaging in contact with food

Manufacturers of metal packaging and closures intended to come into contact with food intended for humans or animals are obliged to supply fit-for-use products ensuring consumers’ health protection. This guide recommends in detail the necessary good hygiene and manufacturing practices to meet this requirement. Elsewhere in this guide also are details of the European, national and USA regulations and standards that the metal packaging industry will need to comply with to fulfil its obligation.

In part, this is the sector’s response to Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006, in conjunction with Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 (hereinafter referred to as the Framework Regulation) on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, obliging manufacturers of food contact materials and articles to apply good manufacturing practices.

The guide covers all the manufacturing process stages from coil cutting to the shipping of ready-for-use empty cans, drums, ends and various other components. We must stress that this guide should not be considered as a set of regulations in itself, therefore it remains essential to study and refer to the applicable official texts in the markets where the filled containers are sold. The cornerstone of this guide is, however, the European market and its regulatory basis.

Where the words ‘food’ or ‘foodstuffs’ are used in a generic way, their meaning is the totality of all food and beverages, both of which, in general, are subject to the same regulatory forces and constraints. However, for the purposes of market shape, analysis and trends, the two are often quoted separately. Although the primary objective of the guideline is to ensure the proper conditions for human food metal packaging manufacture, the same principles should also apply in practice to the manufacture of metal packaging for animal foods. Included in the scope of this document are:

-  Cans and ends for foodstuffs
- Pails and drums where used for foodstuffs
- Metal caps, lids and crowns for bottles and jars for foodstuffs

Not currently included are:
- Aluminium monobloc aerosols
- Collapsible aluminium tubes
- Aluminium or steel beer kegs
- Semi-rigid aluminium trays

EMPAC 2009