Limit values for phenol in food-contact articles and toys are to be updated

Phenol is used, amongst other things, in the production of plastics and dyes. The substance may be contained in packaging material for food and in toys. Hence, there are limit values to prevent any risks to consumer health. In animal experiments the substance is toxic from a specific dose. These limits are oriented towards Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI), i.e. the amount of a substance that can be consumed daily throughout a lifetime without any health risk. The TDI value for phenol is currently 1.5 milligram per kilogram body weight and day. This value was established more than 40 years ago on the basis of the data available at the time. A current EU assessment has, however, shown that the value is in the range where harmful effects are still observed in animal experiments, i.e. 1.8 milligram per kilogram body weight and day (LOAEL). Hence, BfR is of the opinion that the existing limit values for phenol in food-contact articles and toys are not adequate.
At the present time, BfR cannot undertake a health assessment of the risk as no data have been submitted to BfR concerning how much phenol is contained in and can be released from food-contact materials or toys. Hence, the Institute is unable to estimate how much phenol consumers ingest from toys or food to which the substance has migrated from the packaging material or cooking utensils. All the same, there are indications that phenol can be released from them. BfR, therefore, recommends that the competent bodies gather the latest data on the release of phenol which could serve as the basis for an exposure assessment. BfR also suggests that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reassess the TDI and that the German Institute for Standardisation (DIN) and the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) use this value for the elaboration of safety standards.