China Solicits Comments on 10 Food Contact Materials

On October 27, 2021, the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) requested comments on 10 food-contact materials and articles, including three new additives, two food-contact materials and articles for usage expanded, and five new resins. 

New Additives for Food-Contact Materials and Articles

1. Acids, aliphatic, monocarboxylic (C10-C22), esters with polyglycerol for use in plastics at a maximum use level of 0.35%. Plastic materials and articles containing this substance may only be used for filling and long-term storage at room temperature and below (including hot filling and pasteurization under the conditions of T≤70°C, t≤2h or T≤100°C, t ≤15min).
2. 2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 1,2-ethanediyl ester, polymer with methyl 2-methyl-2-propenoate (CAS No. 25777-71-3) for use in polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) at a maximum use level of 1% and specific migration limits (SML) of 6 mg/kg (as methacrylate) and 0.05 mg/kg (2-methyl-2-acrylate-1,2-ethylene glycol ester). The use temperature for PE and PP materials and articles containing this substance may not exceed 121°C. In addition, PE and PP materials and articles containing this substance may not contact infant food or breast milk.
3. Hexanedioic acid, polymer with N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propanediamine, aziridine, (chloromethyl)oxirane, 1,2-ethanediamine, N,N''-1,2-ethanediylbis[1,3-propanediamine], formic acid and α-hydro-ω-hydroxypoly (oxy-1,2-ethanediyl) (CAS No. 114133-44-7) for use in paper and paperboard at a maximum use level of 0.12% (on dry weight basis) and SMLs of 12 mg/kg (1,2- ethylenediamine), 0.01 mg/kg (aziridine), non-detectable (ND) (epichlorohydrin, DL=0.01mg/kg), ND (ethylene oxide, DL=0.01mg/kg), 5 mg/kg (N-(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propanediamine, and 5 mg/kg (N,N''-1,2-ethylenediylbis[1,3-propanediamine]). The QM is 1 mg/kg (epichlorohydrin and ethylene oxide). Paper and paperboard containing this substance may only be used for filling and long-term storage at room temperature and below (including hot filling and pasteurization under the conditions of T≤70°C, t≤2h or T≤100°C, t ≤15min).

Food-Contact Materials and Articles with Expanded Usage

1. C.I. solvent red 52；3-methyl-6-[(4- methylphenyl)amino]-3H-dibenz[f,ij]isoquinoline-2,7-dione (CAS No. 80-39-0) for use in poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) (PCT) at a maximum use level of 0.03%. PCT plastic materials and articles containing this substance may only be used for filling and long-term storage at room temperature and below (including hot filling and pasteurization under the conditions of T≤70°C, t≤2h or T≤100°C, t ≤15min) and they may not be used in contact with foods with ethanol content higher than 10% or fatty foods. In addition, this substance must meet the purity requirements of colorants in Appendix A of GB 9685.
2. C.I. pigment yellow 180 (CAS No. 77804-81-0) for use in PCT at a maximum use level of 0.3%. The use temperature may not exceed 100°C when PCT plastic materials and articles containing this substance contact aqueous, acidic foods, and foods which ethanol content not exceeding 10%. When contacting fatty foods, these materials and articles may only be used for filling and long-term storage at room temperature and below (including hot filling and pasteurization under the conditions of T≤70°C, t≤2h or T≤100°C, t ≤15min). In addition, this substance must meet the purity requirements of colorants in Appendix A of GB 9685.

New Resins

1. Polymer of ethyl acrylate, acrylic acid, and styrene for use in coatings and coating layers at a maximum use level of 2% and an SML of 6 mg/kg (as acrylic acid). Coatings and coating layers using this substance as raw materials may not contact infant foods or breast milk.
2. 1,3-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, polymer with 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, 1,2-ethanediol and hexanedioic acid (CAS No. 58481-50-8) for use in coatings and coating layers at a maximum use level of 10% and SMLs of 5 mg/kg (as 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid), 0.05 mg/kg (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol), and 30 mg/kg (as ethylene glycol). Coatings and coating layers using this substance as raw materials may not contact infant foods or breast milk.
3. 1-isocyanato-3-isocyanatomethyl-3,5,5,-trimethylcyclohexane homopolymer, methyl ethyl ketone oxime-blocked (CAS No. 103170-26-9) for use in coatings and coating layers at a maximum use level of 15% and an SML of 0.05 mg/kg (terpolymer of methyl ethyl ketoxime blocked-1-isocyanate-3-isocyanatomethyl-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexane). Coatings and coating layers using this substance as raw materials may not contact infant foods or breast milk.
4. 1,3-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, polymer with azacyclotridecan-2-one, 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, dodecanedioic acid and 4,4'-methylenebis[2-methylcyclohexanamine] (CAS No. 2080394-29-0) for use in plastics with SMLs of 5 mg/kg (1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid), 7.5 mg/kg (1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid), 5 mg/kg (azacyclotridecane-2-one), and 0.05 mg/kg (3,3’-dimethyl-4,4’-diaminodicyclohexylmethane). Plastic materials and articles using this substance as raw materials may not be used to contact food with an ethanol content of more than 8%.
5. 1,3-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, polymer with azacyclotridecan-2-one, 1,4- Propanoic acid, 3-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methyl-, polymer with1,3-diisocyanatomethylbenzene and α-hydro-ω-hydroxypoly[oxy(methyl-1,2-ethanediyl)] (CAS No. 37273-57-7) for use in adhesives that are in indirect contact with food at a maximum use level at dosage as necessary and SMLs of 0.05 mg/kg [3-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methylpropionic acid] and ND (as Isocyanate, where DL=0.01mg/kg). Adhesives using this substance as raw materials may only be used for filling and long-term storage at room temperature and below (including hot filling and pasteurization under the conditions of T≤70°C, t≤2h or T≤100°C, t ≤15min).

Comments are due by November 18, 2021.