The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) of the Council of Europe has released a new guide titled “Cork Materials and Articles for Contact with Food – A Technical Guide for Manufacturers and Regulators.”

Cork, harvested from cork oak trees, is widely used for bottle stoppers as well as consumer products like trays, placemats, and fruit bowls. Standardizing these commonly used items is an important step toward ensuring consumer safety.

This practical guide provides scientific information and recommendations for compliance testing, and includes a list of substances evaluated for use in the production of cork materials and articles.

The guide was developed by the European Committee for Food Contact Materials and Articles (CD-P-MCA) following a thorough review of the Council of Europe’s 2007 policy statement on cork stoppers and other cork products intended for contact with food, which it now replaces. It also complements Council of Europe Resolution CM/Res(2020)9 on the safety and quality of materials and articles for food contact.

IBE-BVI members can click here to obtain the guide