Uvinul® 4050 H from BASF is the first light stabilizer in its class to obtain FDA approval for use in plastics

* First monomeric hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) worldwide to be approved by the FDA for use in plastics with food-contact

* May be used in polypropylene, polystyrene and acrylonitrile copolymers


BASF’s light stabilizer 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 fiber 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.

Uvinul® 4050 H is a light stabilizer that belongs to the group of lowmolecular-mass sterically hindered amines (monomeric HALS). It scavenges the free radicals that are formed when plastics are degraded by exposure to light and renders them harmless. This helps to prevent further degradation of the polymer, and it retains its initial visual appearance and mechanical properties much longer.

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 fibers and injection-molding from plastics such as polypropylene or polyamide. Its high thermal stability allows Uvinul® 4050 H to be used with no problems in plastics processing.

Uvinul® 4050 H completes BASF’s comprehensive range of light stabilizers that are approved for use in food-contact applications. BASF’s customers now have the opportunity to use exclusively light stabilizers with food-contact approval in their plants.

BASF Performance Chemicals – always one idea ahead!

The product range of BASF’s Performance Chemicals for Coatings, Plastics and Specialties business unit includes pigments, preparations and dyes, binders and crosslinkers, light stabilizers and process chemicals. Our products are manufactured and marketed worldwide. We are one of the world’s leading suppliers in these fields. Further information on our products may be found at: www.basf.com/lightstabilizers.

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Jürgen Jakob

BASF

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