Food regulator approves four food contact chemicals
regulatory panel has given approval to four chemicals that may be
used by processors in packaging or in equipment that comes in
contact with their products.
The European Food Safety Authority's ACF panel has approved, with restrictions, 4,4'-Diaminodiphenyl sulphone, Carbon black, Perfluorooctanoicacid or ammonium salt and the hydrogenated versions of petroleum hydrocarbon resins
The chemical 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl sulphone is used in the production of a plastic packaging material called polyetherimide. The final polymer is intended to be used in contact with all types offood and at any time and temperature during processing.
The ACF panel, a scientific panel responsible for assessing food additives, flavourings, processing aids and food contact materials, has restricted the chemical's use to a limit of five mg/kg offood.
Polyetherimide, which is marketed by GE Plastics under the trade name Ultem, is a rigid thermoplastic used in packaging. The material is known for its high strength and rigidity at elevatedtemperatures, long-term heat resistance, broad chemical resistance and is injection moldable. It resists a wide range of chemicals including most hydrocarbons, alcohols and solvents.
Carbon black is used as a pigment in polymers for packaging all kind of foods. The panel says users must maintain the purity of the carbon black used so as to limit the migration of undesirableimpurities. Traditional quality control parameters such as "Toluene extractables" and "UV absorption" can be used as general purity parameters.
The panel restricts its use to a maximum level of 2.5 per cent of the total mass of the polymer.
Perfluorooctanoic acid or ammonium salt is used as an emulsifier and dispersing agent during the polymerisation process of fluoropolymers (polytetrafluoroethylene) polymer. It is also used as acopolymers of tetrafluoroethylene with hexafluoropropylene and perfluoropropylperfluorovinyl ether.
The fluoropolymers are processed to produce articles for repeated use, such as parts for food processing equipment, tubes, tapes, coatings on cooking utensils and glass cloth.
The panel restricts the use of the chemical to repeated use articles, sintered at high temperatures
In a remark for consideration by the European Commission the panel notes the substance is a perfluoroalkyl compound, which are a class of persistent, widespread environmental pollutants.
"Within the framework of the general use of the perfluorinated chemicals, consumer exposure from use of perfluorooctanoic acid, ammonium salt in repeated use articles, sintered at hightemperatures is considered negligible," the panel stated.
The European Parliament turned the job of assessing food contact materials over to the EU's food safety regulator under a regulation of 27 October 2004.
So far the EFSA scientific panel has evaluated 90 substances in the field of food contact materials.
Its recommendations are sent on to the European Commission, which then decides whether to include a substance as approved under Directive 2002/72/EC.
