Packaging Materials
Does OMRI list products used to package food, and what are the standards for these products?
By Amber Lippert
Processing containers and packaging materials that are used to hold, transport, store or contain organic food are within the scope for OMRI review. These include food contact substances used to make bags, bins, containers, or to control ripening when placed inside the product packaging. Of these types of containers, packaging containers and materials are the only food contact substances that OMRI currently reviews. The USDA organic standards for packaging materials and storage containers or bins, as described in §205.272, stipulate that the materials cannot contain a synthetic fungicide, preservative or fumigant.
Of particular concern with packaging materials is the migration of volatile substances into or onto the food. Non-volatile substances that have direct food contact could also pose concern.
Produce bags, wooden crates used to ship food, and ethylene sachets used to remove ethylene from an enclosed atmosphere are examples of products that would be eligible for listing under the Packaging Material Use Class, as long as they do not contain a synthetic fungicide (e.g., methyl bromide), fumigant (e.g., fixed copper), or a preservative. These requirements apply to any treatments or materials used in or on the packaging materials.
Processing containers and packaging materials which contain a synthetic fungicide, fumigant or preservative, will not be added to the OMRI Products List©.
This article was originally published in the Winter 2012 edition of the OMRI Materials Review newsletter.
