Commission Directive 2004/1/EC of 6 January 2004 amending Directive 2002/72/EC as regards the suspension of the use of azodicarbonamide as blowing agent (Text with EEA relevance)

• Published date: 13 January 2004
• Subject Matter: Internal market - Principles,Approximation of laws,Foodstuffs
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Union, L 7, 13 January 2004

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Commission Directive 2004/1/EC of 6 January 2004 amending Directive 2002/72/EC as regards the suspension of the use of azodicarbonamide as blowing agent (Text with EEA relevance)

Official Journal L 007 , 13/01/2004 P. 0045 - 0046

Commission Directive 2004/1/EC

of 6 January 2004

amending Directive 2002/72/EC as regards the suspension of the use of azodicarbonamide as blowing agent

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 89/109/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs(1), and in particular Article 3 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Commission Directive 2002/72/EC of 6 August 2002 relating to plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs(2) authorises the use of azodicarbonamide as a blowing agent in plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs in accordance with the opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF).

(2) Azodicarbonamide is used as blowing agent in the manufacture of plastic gaskets in metal lids used for the closure of glass jars. New findings have shown that azodicarbonamide decomposes into semicarbazide (SEM) when heated during production of the foamed gasket and during sterilisation of the sealed glass jar.

(3) On 8 July 2003 the European Food Safety Authority (hereinafter called "the Authority") was informed by industry that SEM had been found in a number of foods contained in glass jars. The levels of SEM in these foods were variable (up to 25 μg/kg), with the highest concentrations found in baby foods.

(4) Based on the existing scientific data, including recent research commissioned by the Authority, the Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (hereinafter called "the Panel") concluded, in its statement of 1 October 2003, that SEM has a weak carcinogenic activity in laboratory animals and weak genotoxicity in vitro but that it was not possible according to the current scientific knowledge to conclude whether SEM poses a carcinogenic risk to humans.

(5) An ad hoc expert group was specifically commissioned by the Authority to advise further on possible risks to infants, the consumer...