摘要：This scientific opinion of the EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids deals with the safety assessment of the recycling process MOPET-FLAKE (EU register number RECYC038). The input of the process is hot caustic washed and dried PET flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, mainly bottles, containing no more than 5 % of PET from non-food consumer applications. Through this process, washed and dried PET flakes are being crystallised and solid state polymerised in a batch reactor. Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the crystallisation and solid state polymerisation (step 2) is the critical step that determines the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control its performance are well defined and are the temperature, the residence time, the pressure and the inert gas flow. Under these conditions, it was demonstrated that the recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below a conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 μg/kg food. Therefore the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process intended to be 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. The trays made of the recycled PET are not intended to be used and should not be used either in microwave or in conventional oven.
