Biobased polyamides receive FDA approval for food contact applications

14-Nov-14

Food contact substance notification (FCN) has been received by Evonik Industries for its family of PA1010 polyamides. The VESTAMID® Terra DS16 natural may be used as a basic polymer in the production of articles intended for food contact. Details to the approved applications can be found in the FCN#001439. Whereby, essentially, it may be come in contact with all types of food at chilled to elevated room temperatures for single use as well all types of food in repeated use application up to 100°C. Approval is based on the simulation and actual tested migration behaviour of the monomers, oligomers and other trace substances. Much like the previous approvals set by the EU (Regulation-EC #1935/2004) for the monomer DMDA (CAS646-25-3) very low specific migration levels (SML) are required. Such expertise and dedication to superior quality has enabled the resulting SML’s to be well within the limits for food contact applications. “Receiving the FDA approval is a validation that our efforts to strive for the best quality bio-based polyamides on the market has paid off”, said Dr. Benjamin Brehmer, Business Manager for biopolymers. “This milestone also allows us to confidently enter new markets with clarity of the regulatory situation”. VESTAMID® Terra DS is based on polyamide 1010, which is the polycondensation product of 1,10-decamethylene diamine (D) and 1,10-decanedoic diacid (sebacic acid – S). Both decamethylene diamine and sebacic acid are derived from castor oil, making Terra DS a 100% bio-content polymer. VESTAMID® Terra HS is based on polyamide 610, which is the polycondensation product of 1,6-hexamethylene diamine (H) and 1,10-decanedoic diacid (sebacic acid – S). VESTAMID® Terra HS is a 63% bio-content polymer. PA610 has already received both EU and USA food contact approvals with non-alcoholic foods. Having food contact approvals for both products enables Evonik to offer a broader portfolio of bio-based polyamide to the market. VESTAMID® Terra is derived partly or entirely from the castor bean plant, a raw material that is not animal feed, and which does not compete with that of food crops. Unlike other bio-sourced products, biopolyamide VESTAMID® Terra is a high performance polymer, so there are no restrictions on its service life and it retains impressive physical and chemical resistance properties similar to petroleum-based high performance polymers.