China Approves New Food-Contact Additives and Resins

On July 23, 2019, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) approved the new or expanded use of four additives for food-contact materials and articles and the use of four new resins in coatings and coating layers.

The following three additives were approved for expanded use in certain plastic food-contact materials and articles:

• Sodium acetate (CAS: 127-09-3)
• Phosphoric acid (CAS: 7664-38-2)
• Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (CAS: 7778-77-0)

Oxirane, (chloromethyl)-, polymer with 4,4’-methylenebis[2,6-dimethylphenol] (CAS: 113693-69-9) was approved for use in coatings that do not contact infant food and breast milk.

The new resin materials approved in the announcement for use in coating and coating layers include the following:

• Formaldehyde, polymer with 2-methylphenol, 3-methylphenol, 4-methylphenol, butyl ether (CAS: 298689-79-9), maximum use level: 5%
• Vinyl chloride- vinyl acetate- maleic acid terpolymer (CAS: 9005-09-8), maximum use level: 4.5%
• 1,4-cyclohexamedimethanol polymer with trimethylol propane, neopentyl glycol, adipic acid, isophthalic acid and maleic anhydride, maximum use level: 65%.
• Formaldehyde, polymer with 4,4'-(1-methylethylidene)bis[phenol] (CAS: 25085-75-0); maximum use level: 10%

The approvals for the resin materials include single migration limits (SMLs) and, in some cases, other restrictions.