Food grade certification

Products formulated for food applications and can be used across a broad range of areas in the food industry. Products like coatings, joint grout material, flooring, sealers can be used on storage tanks, bins, hoppers and many other types of containment vessels / floors / walls / platforms, etc. All the food grade products can be susceptible to use in / at high temperature, heat, boiling water, radiation, chemicals, steam and frozen storage conditions, so products must be excellent resistance to fats, oils, alkalis and many solvents.

Under Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) title 21, FDA regulations consists of Part 170 to 199. Part 191 to 199 are empty and reserved for future and the existing are as follows:

A.    21 CFR Part 175.105 Substances to be used as components of Adhesives and coatings. Refer: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=175.105

B.    21 CFR Part 175.300 Resinous and polymeric coatings (Latex and Chemicals) Refer: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=175.300

C.    21 CFR Part 176.170 Components of paper and paper board in contact with aqueous and fatty foods

D.   21 CFR Part 176.180 Components of paper and paper board in contact with dry food (Adhesives)

E.    21 CFR Part 176.200 De-foaming agents used in coatings

F.     21 CFR Part 177.1500 Indirect food additives: Nylon Resins

G.   21 CFR Part 177.1520 Indirect food additives: Olefin Polymers (Dyneema)

H.   21 CFR Part 177.1630 Indirect food additives: Polyethylene phthalate Polymers (Polyester)

I.      21 CFR Part 177.1680 Indirect food additives: Polyurethane Resins

J.      21 CFR Part 177.2430 Indirect food additives: Polyether resins, Chlorinated (Spandex)

K.    21 CFR Part 177.2600 Rubber articles intended for repeated use (Latex and Chemicals)

L.     21 CFR Part 177.2800 Textiles and Textile fibres (Cotton, Rayon, Polyester)

FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) 175and BS EN 14235 are most popular in the market regarding the testing of products for food grade.

All food items are classified in to:

I. Non acid (pH above 5.0), aqueous products; may contain salt or sugar or both, and including oil-in-water emulsions of low- or high-fat content.

II. Acidic (pH 5.0 or below), aqueous products; may contain salt or sugar or both, and including oil-in-water emulsions of low- or high-fat content.

III. Aqueous, acid or non acid products containing free oil or fat; may contain salt, and including water-in-oil emulsions of low- or high-fat content.

IV. Dairy products and modifications:

A. Water-in-oil emulsion, high- or low-fat.

B. Oil-in-water emulsion, high- or low-fat.

V. Low moisture fats and oils.

VI. Beverages:

A. Containing alcohol.

B. Non alcoholic.

VII. Bakery products.

VIII. Dry solids (no end test required).

This test involves in the determination of amount of extractives. I.e, evaporate the food-simulating solvents kept in the Pyrex flask and transfer to a clean, tared platinum dish, washing the flask three times with the solvent used in the extraction procedure, and evaporate to a few milliliters on a nonsparking low-temperature hotplate. The last few milliliters should be evaporated in an oven maintained at a temperature of 212 deg. F. Cool the platinum dish in a desiccator for 30 minutes and weigh the residue to the nearest 0.1 milligram.

Finally, calculate the extractives in milligrams per square inch and in parts per million for the particular size of container being tested and for the specific food-simulating solvent used.

Below are the some of the simulant used for testing and their limits:

Simulant	Temperature in Deg C– time in hrs	Limit
		Single use in mg / in^2	Repeated use in mg / in^2	Repeated use in ppm
Distilled water	49 – 24	1.8	18	50
Confirms to Overall Migration Standards laid down in 21 CFR 175 – 300 of US – FDA (Resinous & polymeric coatings) for intended use for contact with potable water and aqueous food products without fat for contact at room temperature filling and storing.

  

On-site consideration points:

1. Allow the applied product to cure completely as per manufacturer’s specification.

2. Mixing and application shall be carried out strictly as per manufacturer’s specification.

Different food grade regulation authorities:

An FDA 175,300 is not regulated for food and drug products in the European Union. It is only on an voluntary basis. For use in the EU the product need to be tested for BS EN 14235, the European Standard. This EU standard is more sophisticated than the three tests performed by the FDA 175.300.

Many thanks to : Google.com, theepoxyexperts.com, www.accessdata.fda.gov