Food contact materials (FCMs) are materials that are intended to be in contact with food. These can be things that are quite obvious like a glass, a can for soft drinks, but also machinery in a food factory or a coffee machine.

Food contact materials can be constructed from a variety of materials like plastics, rubber, paper, coatings, metal, ink, etc. In many cases a combination is used; for example a carton box for juices can include (from the inside to the outside): plastic layer, aluminium, paper, printing and surface coating.