China Approves Seven New Food Contact Materials Including Polyisobutylene

On February 10, 2025, the National Health Commission (NHC) in China, in compliance with the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, organized expert evaluations to assess and approve the safety of seven new substances for use in food contact materials. These substances were deemed safe for both direct and indirect food contact and include:

• Polyisobutylene – Approved for use in adhesives for direct and indirect food contact, with a maximum usage limit of 35%.
• Copolymer of Isobutylene and Butene – Approved for use in adhesives for direct and indirect food contact, with a maximum usage limit of 35%.
• Ammonium Salt of Acrylic Acid and Ethylene Polymer – Allowed for use in paper and paperboard materials, with a maximum usage limit of 16.7 mg/dm² for paperboard.
• N,N,N-Trimethyl-2-[(1-Oxy-2-Propenyl)Oxyethylammonium] Chloride and Acrylamide Polymers – Approved for use in paper and paperboard, with a maximum usage limit of 0.6% based on the dry weight of paper.
• Benzyl Methacrylate Polymer with 2-Methyl-2-Propenoic Acid and Ethylene Glycol Ester – Introduced as a new resin for food contact materials.
• Polycyclohexane Dimethylene Naphthalate – Approved for expanded use in resins for food contact materials.
• Chromium-Nitride – A new material for food contact applications, created from nitrogen and metallic chromium.