Since August 2008, which is when the European Union's GMP (Good manufacturing Practice) regulations for materials that come into contact with food products have gone into effect, BASF will be offering several new grades in its range of Engineering Plastics in Europe specifically for food contact. These are PA 6.6 grades - like e.g. Ultramid® A3K FC (un-reinforced) and Ultramid A3EG6 FC - and compounded PBT grades, two of which are the un-reinforced Ultradur® B4520 FC and the glass-fiber reinforced Ultradur B4300 G6 FC. In addition, three Ultradur FC base polymers can be obtained. The designation FC stands for food contact.
As stipulated in the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) regulations for plastics that come into contact with food, there is now a requirement for an enlarged quality-assurance and process-control system. BASF has long adhered to high safety standards in its production of plastics that are used in the food sector. The new regulation demands from the plastics manufacturers additional efforts of elaborately choosing and qualifying materials and implementing even more comprehensive documentation and quality control. BASF issues certificates of EU conformity to customers.
The product families Ultrason® (PSU; PESU; PPSU) and Ultraform® (POM) have traditionally had their marketing focal points in the food sector and they come as well with all of the requisite quality certifications.
Regulation (EC) No. 2023/2006 "On Good Manufacturing Practices - GMP" has gone into force on August 1. It is part of the European Framework Regulation on materials and articles intended for food contact 1935/2004/EC. The goal of these various laws and regulations is to prevent contamination of food products along the entire the supply chain, since this could endanger consumers.
(Company Press Release)
29-Aug-08 
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