{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/plastic-materials-and-articles-in-contact-with-food-amendment-england-regulations-2000/schedule-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/plastic-materials-and-articles-in-contact-with-food-amendment-england-regulations-2000/schedule-4.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2000/3162",
  "legislation_title": "The Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2000",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/plastic-materials-and-articles-in-contact-with-food-amendment-england-regulations-2000",
  "path": "schedule/4",
  "kind": "schedule",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "“SCHEDULE 2B\nSPECIFICATIONS\nRegulation 7A\nItem\nPM/REF No.\nSpecifications\n1\n18888\n3-HYDROXYBUTANOIC ACID-3-HYDROXYPENTANOIC ACID, COPOLYMER\nDefinition\nThese copolymers are produced by the controlled fermentation of Alcaligenes eutrophus using mixtures of glucose and propanoic acid as carbon sources. The organism used has not been genetically engineered and has been derived from a single wild-type organism Alcaligenes eutrophus strain H16 NCIMB 10442. Master stocks of the organism are stored as freeze-dried ampoules. A submaster/working stock is prepared from the master stock and stored in liquid nitrogen and used to prepare inocula for the fermenter. Fermenter samples will be examined daily both microscopically and for any changes in colonial morphology on a variety of agars at different temperatures. The copolymers are isolated from heat treatment bacteria by controlled digestion of the other cellular components, washing and drying. These copolymers are normally offered as formulated, melt formed granules containing additives such as nucleating agents, plasticisers, fillers, stabilisers and pigments which all conform to the general and individual specifications.\nChemical name\nPoly (3-D-hydroxybutanoato-co-3-D-hydroxypentanoate).\nCAS number\n80181-31-3.\nStructural formula\nwhere n/(m+n) greater than 0 and less or equal to 0.25\nAverage molecular weight\nNot less than 150,000 Daltons (measured by gel permeation chromatography).\nAssay\nNot less than 98% poly (3-D- hydroxybutanoato-co-3-D-hydroxypentanoate) analysed after hydrolysis as a mixture of 3-D-hydroxybutanoic and 3-D-hydroxypentanoic acids.\nDescription\nWhite to off-white powder after isolation.\nCharacteristics\nIdentification tests:\nSolubility\nSoluble in chlorinated hydrocarbons such as chloroform or dichloromethane but practically insoluble in ethanol, aliphatic alkanes and water.\nMigration\nThe migration of crotonic acid should not exceed 0.05 mg/kg food.\nPurity\nPrior to granulation the raw material copolymer powder must contain:\n– Nitrogen\nNot more than 2,500 mg/kg of plastic\n– Zinc\nNot more than 100 mg/kg of plastic\n– Copper\nNot more than 5 mg/kg of plastic\n– Lead\nNot more than 2 mg/kg of plastic\n– Arsenic\nNot more than 1 mg/kg of plastic\n– Chromium\nNot more than 1 mg/kg of plastic\n2\n23547\nPOLYDIMETHYLSILOXANE (MW>6800)\nMinimum viscosity 100 centistokes at 25°C\n3\n25385\nTRIALLYLAMINE\n40 mg/kg hydrogel at a ratio of 1 kg food to a maximum of 1.5 grams of hydrogel. For use only in hydrogels intended for non-direct food contact use.\n4\n38320\n4–(2–BENZOXAZOLYL)–4'–(5-METHYL–2–BENZOXAZOLYL) STILBENE\nNot more than 0.05% w/w (quantity of substance used/quantity of the formulation)\n5\n76721\nPOLYDIMETHYLSILOXANE (Mw>6800)\nMinimum viscosity 100 × 10-6 m2/s (=100 centistokes) at 25°C\n6\n88640\nSOYBEAN OIL, EPOXIDIZED\nOxirane <8%, iodine number <6\n7\n95859\nWAXES, REFINED DERIVED FROM PETROLEUM BASED OR SYNTHETIC HYDROCARBON FEEDSTOCKS\nThe product shall have the following specifications:\nContent of mineral hydrocarbons with carbon number less than 25: not more than 5% (w/w)\nViscosity not less than 11 × 10-6 m2/s (=11 centistokes) at 100°C\nAverage molecular weight not less than 500\n8\n95883\nWHITE MINERAL OILS, PARAFFINIC DERIVED FROM PETROLEUM BASED HYDROCARBON FEEDSTOCKS\nThe product shall have the following specifications:\nContent of mineral hydrocarbons with carbon number less than 25: not more than 5% (w/w)\nViscosity not less than 8.5 × 10-6 m2/s (=8.5 centistokes) at 100°C\nAverage molecular weight not less than 480\n”",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/3162/schedule/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T08:09:58.074441+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}