Safety assessment of the process ‘Jász‐Plasztik’, based on Vacurema Prime technology, used to recycle post‐consumer PET into food contact materials

Abstract

Abstract The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP Panel) assessed the safety of the recycling process Jász‐Plasztik (EU register number RECYC0157). The input are hot caustic washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post‐consumer PET containers and containing no more than 5% PET from non‐food applications. They are heated in a batch reactor under vacuum and then heated in a continuous reactor under vacuum before being extruded into pellets. Having examined the results of the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the decontamination in the batch reactors (step 2) and in the continuous reactor (step 3) are the critical steps that determine the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of these critical steps are temperature, pressure and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 μg/kg food. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process when used up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs for long‐term storage at room temperature, with or without hotfill, is not considered of safety concern. Trays made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave and conventional ovens and such use is not covered by this evaluation.