China Approves New and Expanded Usage for Food-Contact Materials

On February 10, 2025, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China (NHC) approved seven new food-contact materials—four additives with expanded usage, one new resin, one resin with expanded usage, and one new additive. The substances and specifications are listed below.

Additives with Expanded Usage

1. Polyisobutylene (CAS No. 9003-27-4) is to be cleared for use in adhesives, both in direct and indirect contact with food, at a maximum use level of 35%. Adhesives containing this substance may not be used in contact with foods containing fat or foods containing more than 50% ethanol. When in indirect contact with food, it can only be used for long-term storage at room temperature after room temperature filling (including hot filling, pasteurization, or other heat treatments). When in direct contact with food, it can only be used for freezing and refrigeration. The above restricted use requirements must be marked in accordance with the provisions of GB 4806.1.
2. Butene, polymer with 2-methyl-1-propene (CAS No. 9044-17-1) is to be cleared for use in adhesives, both in direct and indirect contact with food, at a maximum use level of 35%. Adhesives containing this substance may not be used in contact with foods containing fat or foods containing more than 50% ethanol. When in indirect contact with food, it can only be used for long-term storage at room temperature after room temperature filling (including hot filling, pasteurization, or other heat treatments). When in direct contact with food, it can only be used for freezing and refrigeration. The above restricted use requirements must be marked in accordance with the provisions of GB 4806.1.
3. 2-Propenoic acid polymer with ethene, ammonium salt (CAS No. 25212-83-3) is to be cleared for use in paper and paperboard at a maximum use level of 16.7 mg/dm². The specific migration level (SML) is 6 mg/kg as acrylic acid. Paper and paperboard materials and articles containing this substance may only be used for long-term storage at room temperature after room temperature filling (including hot filling, pasteurization, or other heat treatments) and may not be used to produce food-contact materials and products for infants and young children. The above restricted use requirements must be marked in accordance with GB 4806.1.
4. Ethanaminium, N,N,N-trimethyl-2- [(1-oxo-2-propen-1-yl)oxy]-, chloride (1:1), polymer with 2-propenamide modified with propenoic acid (CAS No. 69418-26-4) is to be cleared for use in paper and paperboard at a maximum use level of 0.6% (on the basis of dry weight of paper). The SML is not detected (ND) for 2-propenamide, where DL is 0.01 mg/kg. The acrylic acid content in this substance may not exceed 2%. Paper and paperboard materials and articles containing this substance may not be used for irradiation. The above restricted use requirements must be marked in accordance with the provisions of GB 4806.1.

New Resin

1. 2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, phenylmethyl ester, polymer with 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 1,2-ethanediyl ester (CAS No. 126969-53-7) is to be cleared for use in plastics at the necessary dosage. The SMLs are 6 mg/kg as 2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl- and 0.05 mg/kg for 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 1,2-ethanediyl ester. The contact temperature between plastic materials containing this substance and food may not exceed 70°C and the contact time may not exceed 2 hours. The above restricted use requirements must be marked in accordance with the provisions of GB 4806.1.

Resin with Expanded Usage

1. 2,6-Naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 2,6-dimethyl ester, polymer with 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, 1,2-ethanediol, 2,2’-oxybis[ethanol] and β 3 ,β 3 ,β 9 ,β 9-tetramethyl-2,4,8,10- tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane-3,9-dieth anol (CAS No. 2146168-28-5) is to be cleared for use in plastics at the necessary dosage. The SMLs are 0.05 mg/kg for 2,6-Naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, 2,6-dimethyl ester, 30 mg/kg as ethanediol, and 5 mg/kg for β 3 ,β 3 ,β 9 ,β 9-tetramethyl-2,4,8,10- tetraoxaspiro[5.5]undecane-3,9-dieth anol. The use temperature of plastic materials and articles containing this substance may not exceed 100°C. The above restricted use requirements must be marked in accordance with the provisions of GB 4806.1.

New Additive

1. Chromium nitride made from nitrogen and chromium (CAS Nos. 12053-27-9 and 24094-93-7) is to be cleared for use in plastics at the necessary dosage. The SML is not detected as VI, where DL is 0.01 mg/kg. This substance uses nitrogen and metallic chromium as raw materials and is applied to the surface of the metal substrate using physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology. The atomic percentage of nitrogen is 18%~40% and the atomic percentage of chromium is 60%~82%. The total migration limit of the final product using this material is 10 mg/dm². The element migration amount should comply with the provisions of Table 3 and Table 4 in GB 4806.9-2023. The migration test should be performed in accordance with the provisions of GB 31604.1 and GB 5009.156. The product information must comply with the provisions of GB 4806.1.