The body’s CEF panel delivered its positive safety evaluation on: hydrogenated homopolymers and/or copolymers; poly(12-hydroxystearic acid) stearate; and perfluoro acetic acid.
All three substances were assessed under Regulation (EC) No.1935/2004 after requests from national food safety agencies.
Homopolymer and/or co-polymers
The panel considered hydrogenated homopolymers and/or copolymers made of 1-hexene and/or 1-octene and/or 1-decene and/or 1-dodecene and/or 1-tetradecene (Mw: 440-12000), REF. No. 60027, following a request from the UK Food Standards Agency.
The dossier, submitted on behalf of ExxonMobil Chemical Company, said the chemical will be used in polyolefins and high impact polystyrene at the maximum amount of 10 per cent w/w to improve properties such as softness and flexibility, especially at low temperature.
CEF concluded there was no risk to the consumer if the substance complied with given specifications (viscosity at 100°C ≥ 3.8 cSt, Mw>440 Da) and its migration did not exceed 60 mg/kg food.
Read the full opinion via the following link
Poly stearate
The UK body had also asked EFSA experts to examine the dossier on poly(12-hydroxystearic acid) stearate on behalf of the UK’s Lubrizol Advanced Materials. The application for the substance, which has the CAS number 58128-22-6 and the European Commission reference number reference number of 80345, was for use as a colour dispersant in all types of plastics with a maximum level of 0.1 per cent w/w. It will further serve as a nucleating agent in polypropylene.
The CEF Panel concluded that there was no safety concern for the consumer if the migration of the substance does not exceed 5 mg/kg food.
Read the full opinion via the following link
Perfluro acetic acid
The food safety watchdog delivered its verdict on perfluoro acetic acid (α-substituted with the copolymer of perfluoro-1,2-propylene glycol and perfluoro-1,1-ethylene glycol, terminated with chlorohexafluoropropyloxy groups).
The request came from Ministry of health, welfare and sport, in The Netherlands, after a dossier was submitted by Solvay Solexis, Italy. The chemical is for use at up to 0.5% w/w as an emulsifier and as a dispersing agent for processing fluorinated polymers.
“These polymers are processed at high temperatures to produce parts for food processing equipment (fitting, valves), food contact articles like tubes, sheets, pipes, tapes as well as antistick coatings on cooking utensils for high temperature applications,” said an EFSA statement.
The conditions of use include short time contact at temperatures up to around 100°C or food processing equipments and food contact articles. Contact conditions for high temperature application coatings include 230°C for 1-2 hours and may even reach 250°C for short times, said the body.
CEF concluded that there is no safety concerns for the consumer if the substance is used only up to 0.5 per cent in the polymerisation of fluoropolymers that are processed at temperatures at or above 340°C and are for repeated use articles.
Read the full opinion via the following link