Polyethylene, oxidized.

21 C.F.R. § 177.1620
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01
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Oxidized polyethylene identified in paragraph (a) of this section may be safely used as a component of food-contact articles, in accordance with the following prescribed conditions: (a) Oxidized polyethylene is the basic resin produced by the mild air oxidation of polyethylene conforming to the density, maximum n-hexane extractable fraction, and maximum xylene soluble fraction specifications prescribed under item 2.3 of the table in § 177.1520(c). Such oxidized polyethylene has a minimum number average molecular weight of 1,200, as determined by high temperature vapor pressure osmometry, contains a maximum of 5 percent by weight of total oxygen, and has an acid value of 9 to 19. (b) The finished food-contact article, when extracted with the solvent or solvents characterizing the type of food and under the conditions of time and temperature characterizing the conditions of its intended use as determined from tables 1 and 2 of § 176.170(c) of this chapter, yields net acidified chloroform-soluble extractives not to exceed 0.5 milligram per square inch of food-contact surface when tested by the methods described in § 177.1330(c), except that net acidified chloroform-soluble extractives from paper and paperboard complying with § 176.170 of this chapter may be corrected for wax, petrolatum, and mineral oil as provided in § 176.170(d)(5)(iii)(b) of this chapter. If the finished food-contact article is itself the subject of a regulation in parts 174, 175, 176, 177, 178 and § 179.45 of this chapter, it shall also comply with any specifications and limitations prescribed for it by such regulations. (Note: In testing the finished food-contact article, use a separate test sample for each extracting solvent.) (c) The provisions of this section are not applicable to oxidized polyethylene used as provided in §§ 175.105 and 176.210 of this chapter, and § 177.2800. The provisions of paragraph (b) of this section are not applicable to oxidized polyethylene used as provided in §§ 175.125 and 176.170(a)(5) of this chapter and § 177.1200.

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