The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) approved biocide 5-chloro-2-methyl-2H-isothiazol-3- one, mixture with 2-methyl-2H-isothiazol-3-one (3:1) last month. The dossier was submitted by German company THOR GmbH.
The body’s CEF Panel said the substance posed no safety concerns for the consumers as long as the “maximum residual amount in the finished products does not exceed 25 μg/dm² and the use of the mixture does not result in an anti-microbial effect at the surface of the polymer or on the food itself”.
The substance, with CAS No. 55965-84-9, REF. No. 43730, has three main intended uses. Firstly, as a biocide for use as a preservative in water-based polymer dispersions used to make coatings. It also functions as a preservative in water-based formulations of paper making chemicals. The third envisaged purpose is as a slimicide in process water for paper manufacturing at the maximum use levels of 30, 15 and 2 mg/l respectively.
The final products are intended to be used for contact with all kinds of foodstuffs without restrictions of time and temperature, said the EFSA decision. It has been classified in the SCF List 3 – a index of substances for which neither an acceptable daily intake (ADI) nor tolerable daily intake (TDI) could not be established – but where the present use could be accepted.
The CEF scrutinised use of the substance following a request from German regulators Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (BVL). The CEF panel is charged with evaluating food contact materials under Regulation (EC) No.1935/2004.