Food contact materials are used to make articles used by the food industry. Materials are comprised of (usually many different) chemicals. The European Union recognizes 17 categories of food contact materials. We profile a subset of them here. Some, such as plastics, paperboard, and metals are closely considered by food industry decision-makers. Others, such as coatings, inks, and adhesives are also important material components of food contact materials that contribute to food safety concerns, and should be evaluated for safety whenever possible.