China Approves New and Expanded Usage for Food-Contact Materials

On August 1, 2023, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) approved expanded usage for two food-contact materials and one new resin. The substances and specifications are listed below.

Expanded Usage Food-Contact Materials

1. Glass Fiber (CAS No. 65997-17-3) for use in polyetheretherketone (PEEK) plastics at a maximum use level of 30%.
2. C.I. pigment black 28 (CAS No. 68186-91-4) for use in coatings and costing layers at a maximum use level of 15% (based on dry weight of coating film). The manganese element content must not exceed 100 mg/kg. In addition, the specific migration level (SML) of the copper and manganese elements must comply with the provisions of Appendix C of GB 9685-2016; and the above restrictive requirements must be labeled in accordance with the provisions of GB 4806.1.

New Resin

1. β-Alanine, N-(2-aminoethyl)-, monosodium salt, polymer with 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-diisocyanatohexane, 1,3-diisocyanatomethylbenzene and hexanedioic acid (CAS No. 141073-56-5) for use in adhesives with indirect food contact at a maximum use level of 20 g/m2 on a dry weight basis. The SMLs are 5 mg/kg as 1,4-butanediol; non-detectable (ND) as isocyanate, where the detection limit (DL) is 0.01mg/kg; and 0.05 mg/kg for β-Alanine, N-(2-aminoethyl)-. The maximum permitted residual content (QM) is 1 mg/kg as isocyanate. The shelf life of this substance is 6 months under the storage environment of 10°C to 30°C. Food-contact materials and products produced with adhesives containing this substance are limited to room temperature filling and long-term storage at room temperature and below (including hot filling and pasteurization at T≤70°C, t≤2h, or T≤100°C, t≤15min). The above restrictive requirements must be labeled in accordance with the provisions of GB 4806.1.