On May 29, 2019, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) published information on the approval of a new food-contact additive, six new resins, and the expanded use of eight food-related products.

The new food-contact additive is Octadecanamide, N,N'-1,2-ethanediylbis-, reaction products with azacyclotridecan-2-one homopolymer and 1-isocyanatooctadecane (CAS: 338462-62-7), which can be used in coatings at a maximum level of 2%.

The newly approved resins are:

• 1,4-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, polymer with hexanedioic acid, 1,4-butanediol and 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic acid 1,2-anhydride for use in coatings at a maximum level of 30%;

• Polymer with 2-(chloromethyl)oxirane, 4-4’-methylenebis[2,6-dimethylphenol] and 1,4-benzenediol for use in coatings at a maximum level of 90%;

• Poly(bisphenol A-co-epichlorohydrine) glycidyl end-capped, reaction products with styrene, methyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, acrylic acid, and methacrylic acid, partially neutralized with dimethyl ethanol amine for use in coatings;

• 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid, polymer with 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-ethanediol and hexanedioic acid (CAS: 72229-82-4) for use in coatings at a maximum level of 50%;

• Poly(isophorone diisocyanate) reaction products with 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, diethylene glycol, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, isophthalic acid, fatty acids, C18-unsturated, dimers, hydrogenated and caprolactam for use in coatings at a maximum level of 70%; and

• 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid, polymer with 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid, 1,3-dihydro-1,3- dioxo-5-isobenzofurancarboxylic acid, hexanedioic acid, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol and 2,2'-oxybis[ethanol]  (CAS: 1013326-79-8) for use in coatings at a maximum level of 18.5%.

Expanded scope and/or use level for the following food-related products were also announced:

• Magnesium sulfate (CAS: 7487-88-9) for use with acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer;

• Bis(3,4-dimethylbenzylidene) sorbitol (CAS: 135861-56-2) for used with polybutene-1 at a maximum level of 0.3%;

• Erucamide (CAS: 112-84-5) for used with polybutene-1 at a maximum level of 0.3%;

• Calcium stearate (CAS: 1592-23-0) for use with polybutene-1 at a maximum level of 0.2%;

• Zinc stearate (CAS: 557-05-1) for use in polymethylpentene at a maximum level of 0.04%;

• Pentaerythritol tetra [3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate] for use in polymethylpentene at a maximum level of 0.13%; and

• Tri(2,4-ditertrabutyl phenyl) phosphite ester (CAS: 31570-04-4) for use in polymethylpentene at a maximum level of 0.08%; and

• 2-​Propenoic acid, butyl ester, polymer with 2-​ethylhexyl 2-​propenoate (CAS: 171885-12-4) for use in coatings.