First light stabiliser in its class to obtain FDA approval for use in plastics

10 October 2006

BASF’s light stabiliser Uvinul 4050 H is the first monomeric HALS worldwide to obtain a Food Contact Notification (FCN) for the use in plastics with food-contact. The FCN is granted by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Uvinul 4050 H may be used in polypropylene, polystyrene, styrene copolymers and acrylonitrile copolymers (including ABS) that come into contact with foodstuffs. Applications for Uvinul 4050 H include woven fibre sacks such as bulk bags, flour sacks and corn (maize) sacks, electrical equipment such as kitchen equipment, thermoformed packaging such as yoghurt beakers and disposable cutlery.

Uvinul 4050 H is approved for use at a concentration of up to 0.5 % in polystyrene, styrene copolymers and acrylonitrile copolymers. It is also approved for use at a concentration of up to 0.25 % in polypropylene in contact with all types of foodstuffs except those with an alcohol content of more than 8 %. The requirements and definitions for individual plastics in FDA Regulations 21 CFR 177.1640 (polystyrene), 21 CFR 177.1810 (styrene copolymers), 21 CFR 181.32 (acrylonitrile copolymers) and 21 CFR 177.1520 (polypropylene) must be observed when Uvinul 4050 H is employed as a light stabilizer for food-contact applications.

A low-molecular-mass HALS offers the most effective solution for stabilizing plastics such as ABS and polypropylene. Up until now, compromises have had to be made because of the lack of approval for stabilizers for plastics intended for use in food-contact applications. Following the approval of Uvinul 4050 H, plastics for food-contact applications can now fulfill the highest standards of resistance to weathering.

Uvinul 4050 H is also very effective for use in fibres and injection-moulding from plastics such as polypropylene or polyamide. Its high thermal stability ensures no problems in plastics processing.