Designing and developing your custom food packaging is not only about the beautiful design or the peculiar form of packaging—there are some rules and regulations associated with custom food packaging. Below is a list of regulations that should be complied with when starting a food brand or redesigning packaging to protect your customers and consumers and grow your business.
FDA Regulations: The First Step in Safe Packaging
The United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) is the major government organization regulating food packaging. The FDA is all over whether you are a chocolatier selling chocolates for consumption or an organization providing packed meals in a meal kit. There are FDA regulations to protect people and food from getting polluted through packaging. Besides, the packaging must effectively prevent the penetration of contaminants into the food and preserve it.
Any material you choose to incorporate in your custom packaging, including plastics, paper, glass or aluminium, must meet the FDA standards on food-contact substances (FCS). This ranges from the ink used in writing the packages to the plastic used in covering the product.
Labelling Requirements: More Than Just a Pretty Face
When ordering your food packaging, you need to know about the labelling you should adhere to: the regulations under the FDA’s FPLA. This regulation governs what must appear on the packaging: the product’s name, the amount of the product (weight, volume or number of pieces) and the name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor.
The other important factor to consider is the question of labelling regarding the nutritional value of foods to be consumed. Every food product served must bear a Nutrition Facts panel that is well displayed and contains no deception. The panel should also include a list of ingredients, information on allergens (as required by the Food Allergen Labelling and Consumer Protection Act), and warnings about certain health effects.
Environmental and recycling ordinances
Today’s consumers are smarter and more conscious about the environment, and the food packaging industry has quickly caught up. Custom food packaging should also meet environmental standards since violating these laws attracts serious penalties or even harms your company’s reputation.
The Environmental Protection Agency governs the disposal of packaging waste in the American environment [ 22 ]. If you use plastic, paper, or any other material, you must meet the required standards on recyclability and environmental friendliness.
Packaging Regulations by State
Notably, several states have even stricter rules regarding food packaging than the federal government. For example, California has its own that are carried out under Proposition 65, which mandates that business entities make adequate warnings of exposure to chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Suppose your custom food packaging uses inks, adhesives, or any other part with the chemicals above. If this is the case, it must meet the specific state laws regarding its labelling.
International Compliance: If Your Food Travels Abroad
If your brand aspires to attract the international market, it will be important to consider international packaging standards. The laws governing food packaging in the European Union are strict, especially under Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on materials intended to come into contact with food.
No matter the destination, whether Europe, Canada or any other country, one needs to understand the country’s packaging regulations in order not to be penalized with fines or even have your product recalled from the market due to non-compliance with the country’s packaging regulations.
Environment Certification and Claims
If you want to take it up a notch for the consumers, certifications differ from certifications for sustainable practices. There is nothing like USDA Organic, Fair Trade, and Rainforest Alliance Certified to tell a story of your environmentally friendly and socially responsible packaging program. But again, some proof must back all the claims you will be making, and the evidence should be clearly stated to avoid cases of fake news that are detrimental to your company’s reputation.
Start Custom Food Packaging now.
Making Custom food packaging is all about art, functionality, and regulatory requirements that must be met to the letter. Of course, people like shiny packages, but the goal is to create packaging that is attractive, safe, legal, and reflects the brand. At Forest Packaging, we believe every food should look presentable, so we are here to provide the best custom food packaging services.
