Custom MOCA seals

All materials and objects intended to come into direct or indirect contact with food are regulated by the CE 1935:2004 legislation, also known as MOCA, whose objective is to guarantee and protect consumers’ health and safety.

This is based on three fundamental cornerstones:

• Material’s eligibility with respect to specific applications (migration tests according to the main simulants)
• Production compliant with Regulation 2023/2006 (GMP) which establishes the rules relating to good manufacturing practices
• Traceability of materials and objects

According to MOCA regulation, objects or materials intended to come into contact with food must not:

• Be dangerous to human health
• Change the composition of the food
• Unfavourably modify food’s organoleptic characteristics

ELASTOMERI E PLASTICHE MOCA

Seals and details intended for food industry produced by ATP are in compliance with MOCA classification.

In particular, for plastics, the EC Regulation 10:2011 was created to state in details which materials can be used, their related migration tests with and any limitations with respect to specific substances.

Currently there is no a European standard for rubber (elastomers) and silicones that establishes the list of polymers and ingredients which can be used for the preparation of objects and materials suitable for contact with food. Therefore producers have must refer to national rules such as

• Ministerial Decree 21/03/1973 for Italy
• BfR (Bundesamt für Risikobewertung) recommendations for Germany
• Arrêté du 9 November 1994 for France

Each national regulation establishes its own list of substances that can be used for the preparation of materials and objects safe for contact with food.

FDA (Food & Drugs Administration) standards contained in CFR 21, with different relevant paragraphs depending on the subject matter (e.g. 177.2600 Rubber articles intended for repeated uses which applies to rubbers and silicones, 177.1550 Perfluorocarbon Resins applicable to materials in PTFE) are valid regulations in the USA. US FDA certification cannot be considered applicable as a sufficient certification to identify a materials and objects  safe for contact with food on European territory, although their technical validity is internationally recognized.

Machines and systems that are in contact with foodstuffs must therefore use components that comply with current European legislation CE 1935/2004.

ATP has several materials intended for food industry, compliant with CE 1935/2004. Our technicians periodically attend courses organized by EHEDG and other authorities about Hygienic Design.

ATP is also certifying its GMP system to the Denominated Food Contact Surface Equipment Manufacturing protocol with DNV-GL.