Assessment of Regulatory Compliance in Plastic Food Packaging Manufacturing in Anambra State

Food contact plastic packaging materials are subject to regulatory standards designed to protect consumer safety by limiting the migration of hazardous substances from packaging into food. This study assesses regulatory compliance among plastic food packaging manufacturers in Anambra State, South East Nigeria, examining adherence to Standards Organisation of Nigeria requirements for food contact plastics. A structured compliance audit was conducted across 18 plastic packaging manufacturers, covering raw material specifications, production process controls, migration testing protocols, product labelling, and quality management documentation. In-plant interviews with production managers and quality officers supplemented the audit data. Products sampled from each manufacturer were subjected to overall migration testing in food simulants following EN 1186 procedures, and selected samples were tested for specific migration of heavy metals including lead, cadmium, and chromium. Audit results reveal significant compliance deficiencies, with only 22 percent of manufacturers maintaining raw material traceability documentation. Overall migration limits were exceeded in samples from 7 of 18 manufacturers, predominantly those processing recycled plastic input streams. Heavy metal migration above detection thresholds was found in 3 manufacturers using unidentified pigment additives. Labelling deficiencies, including absence of food contact suitability symbols, were identified in 72 percent of product samples. The study recommends mandatory pre-market registration of food contact plastic products with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, enhanced testing laboratory capacity in South East Nigeria, and structured compliance training for small-scale packaging manufacturers. Keywords: food contact packaging, regulatory compliance, Anambra State, migration testing, Standards Organisation of Nigeria