MOCA Materials: Characteristics

Whether it’s packaging, components, or equipment for food production, every material used to make MOCA (Materials and Objects in Contact with Food) must meet specific safety and compliance standards. These materials must ensure:

• They do not release substances in amounts that would spoil the food they contact.
• They do not pose a health risk to consumers.

This means materials, including raw materials, additives, and colorants, must be tested not only for their performance but also for their interaction with food.

Stainless steel is a top choice for industrial food plants due to its durability and resistance. It performs well even when in contact with highly corrosive foods and cleaning agents. Besides steel, other materials are used in MOCA projects for their high performance.

Silicone is another example. In Granzotto’s G-RECO pigging system, silicone is used to collect liquid residues inside pipes. The silicone pig generates the friction needed for the system to work effectively.

European and National Regulations on Silicones

Silicones are “polymers that include any synthetic compound made up of repeating units of siloxane, which is a chain of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms, often combined with carbon and/or hydrogen.” Their flexibility and heat resistance make them popular in kitchen items.

Silicones intended for food contact are not uniformly regulated across Europe. Regulation EU 10/2011 on plastics clarifies that silicones, along with ion exchange resins and rubber, are excluded from its scope. Therefore, national-specific regulations must be followed, which can vary.

In Italy, silicone is regulated within Chapter I of D.M. 21/03/1973 (as amended by Decree 24.9.08, no. 174), which covers plastic materials and defines the allowed monomers and additives.

This decree states that materials and objects:

• Must not release their components into food products in quantities exceeding 60 mg per kg of food or food simulant (overall migration limit).
• For certain items like small containers and films, the limit is 10 mg per square decimeter of surface area.

Article 11 details how to verify the suitability of objects through migration tests. Article 9-ter emphasizes the need for a declaration of food compliance during commercial phases other than retail.

G-Reco Pigging System: The Silicone Pig

As required by Regulation EC 1935/2004, it is essential that the silicone pig used in direct contact with food complies with regulations, proving its suitability and conformity. For Granzotto’s G-Reco pigging system, only approved silicones are used. Silicone in Granzotto’s systems is made blue, as required by GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) standards for food industry certification. This distinctive color ensures control over foreign objects in case of breakage or loss.

Ensuring every part of the plant complies with MOCA regulations is crucial for performance, compliance, and safety for both the plant and the final consumer.