Japan Updates the Positive List of FCM

On December 24, 2021, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan released the revision of the FCM positive list, which applies to food contact utensils, containers and packaging made of synthetic resin.

MHLW issued an updated positive list on August 18, 2021, on the basis of the public comments and new substance registration applications received prior to October 30, 2020. This revision is a further update on the previously updated list. Details are as follows:

List	Added	Deleted	Other Revisions
Base polymers (plastics)	divinylbenzene/1,3-butadiene copolymer 1,3-butadiene homopolymer 2,2-bis(hydroxymethy)propionic acid ethylene/styrene/propylene copolymer α-D-glucose homopolymer, (1-3)-linked ...(Totally 22 substances)	tetrafluoroethylene/2-[2-(trifluorovinyloxy)-1-(trifluoromethyl)trifluoroethoxy] tetrafluoroethanesulfonyl fluoride copolymer tetrafluoroethylene/methyl 3-[2-(trifluorovinyloxy)-1-(trifluoromethyl)trifluoroethoxy] tetrafluoropropionate copolymer	1) "acrylonitrile/styrene/α-methylstyrene copolymer" was allowed to be used in milk/milk product (new food category); 2) The synthetic resin group 3 applies to "Copolymer composed of one or more epoxypolymers(A.-H.) with polyamides(I.) or (J.) and/or cross-linking agents(K.)"; 3) The substance name, CAS registry No. and special requirements for other 20 substances were revised;
Base polymers (coatings)	dibutyl fumarate caprolactone diisobutyl fumarate morpholine ethyl acetoacetate ...(Totally 55 substances)	acrylic acid/methyl acrylate/N,N,N-trimethylammonioethyl methacrylate, chloride/methyl methacrylate copolymer	1) Four substances' synthetic resin group were amended; 2) Eight substances' substance name, CAS registry No. and special requirements were amended;
Base polymers (minor monomers)	ester of acrylic acid with caprolactone homopolymer ester of fumaric acid or maleic acid with glyceryl acrylate and aliphatic alcohol (C=14-18), sulfonated, ammonium salt	/	/
Additives	acacia bark extract grapefruit seed extract green algae maleic acid bis(2-ethylhexyl) maleate ...(Totally 47 substances)	/	The names of 55 substances, the use limits of 47 substances and the special requirements of 10 substances were modified

Japan's FCM positive list system was implemented on June 1, 2020, with a five-year transition period. Notably, the list is dynamically updated and the MHLW will reopen the opinion solicitation window for additional inclusion in the list irregularly. ChemLinked will inform you once the lists get revised.