EFSA approves two materials intended to come into contact with food

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has improved two materials intended to come in contact with food.
The substance 1,4:3,6-dianhydrosorbitol was requested for use as a co-monomer in the production of polyesters along with the co-monomers ethylene glycol and 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclohexane as the other diol components and with terephthalic acid as the diacid component of the polyester. The CEF Panel concluded that the substance 1,4:3,6-dianhydrosorbitol does not raise a safety concern for the consumer if the substance is used as a co-monomer at levels of up to 40 mole% of the diol component in combination with ethylene glycol and/or 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclohexane for the production of polyesters. The existing migration limit of 5 mg/kg food should not be exceeded. In addition, polyesters made using dianhydrosorbitol together with 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclohexane should not be used in contact with foods containing more than 15 % alcohol.
The second opinion deals with the safety evaluation of an iron based oxygen absorber, comprising polyethyleneglycol, disodium pyrophosphate, monosodium phosphate and sodium chloride. This mixture is incorporated in polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) articles intended to be in contact with foodstuffs for hot fill/pasteurisation and/or long term storage at room temperature. For dried and fatty foods, direct contact with the materials is envisaged whereas other food types will be separated from the active material by a layer that does not contain the active components. The CEF Panel concluded that the use of the substances, iron, polyethyleneglycol, disodium pyrophosphate, monosodium phosphate and sodium chloride do not raise a safety concern when used as oxygen absorbers incorporated in polyethylene and in polypropylene articles used for long time storage and/or hot fill up to 95 °C for several minutes in i) direct contact with dry and fatty foods and ii) indirect contact with aqueous or acidic foods, separated from the active material by a layer of at least 10 µm polyethylene or polypropylene that does not contain the oxygen absorber formulation (EFSA Opinions published 6 June 2013).