13 AUGUST

NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

Addendum 6—Specification for Oxidised Polyethylene

Oxidised polyethylene (CAS 68441-17-8)# is the polymer produced by the mild air oxidation of polyethylene.

• Average molecular weight: min 1200 (osmometric)
• Viscosity at 125 °C: min 200 cP
• Oxygen content: max 9.1%
• Acid value: max 70 mgKOH/g (ASTM D 1386)*
• Drop point: min 95 °C (ASTM D 566)*
• Density (20°C): 0.93—1.05 g/cm3 (ASTM D 1298, D 1505)*

Extractable constituents (See note 1):

• in water: max. 1.5%
• in 10% ethanol: max. 2.3%
• in 3% acetic acid: max. 1.8%
• in n-pentane: max. 26.0%

CAS is the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Registry Number

• ASTM refers to standard test methods prepared by the American Society for Testing and Materials.

Note 1: Extraction of Oxidised Polyethylene
25.0 g of finely ground oxidised polyethylene powder (particle size 300–1000 mm) are extracted for 5 hours in the Soxhlet apparatus with 350 ml of solvent. The solvent is then distilled off and the distillation residue is dried in a vacuum oven at 80–90°C. After weighing the obtained residue, the components soluble in the solvent are calculated in % weight (based on the initial weight used).

[3] Standard A13 is varied by omitting paragraph (3)(b) and substituting—

"(b) the object or thing is composed of materials that will not contaminate or migrate into the food."

[4] The Food Standards Code is varied by inserting

Standard A18—Food Produced Using Gene Technology

Purpose

This Standard regulates the sale of foods and food ingredients, other than additives and processing aids, which are produced using gene technology. The Standard prohibits the sale of these foods unless they are included in the table to clause 2 and comply with any special conditions in that table.

The Authority will assess the safety for human consumption of each food or class of food prior to its inclusion in the table. The safety assessment will be done in accordance with the Authority’s approved safety assessment criteria.

Additives and processing aids which are produced using gene technology are not regulated in this Standard. Other Standards in this code regulating additives and processing aids require pre-market approval for these substances.

Table of Provisions

1. Definitions
2. General prohibition on the sale of food produced using gene technology
3. Labelling

Definitions

1. In this Standard—

a ‘food produced using gene technology’ is a food which has been derived from an organism which has been modified by gene technology, but does not include any substance regulated as a food additive or a processing aid.

‘gene technology’ refers to recombinant DNA techniques that alter the heritable genetic material of living cells or organisms.

General prohibition on the sale of food produced using gene technology

2. A food produced using gene technology must not be sold or used as an ingredient or component of another food unless it is listed in column 1 of the table to this clause and complies with the conditions, if any, specified in column 2.

Table to clause 2

Labelling

3. (1) A food that is, or contains as an ingredient or component, a food produced using gene technology that—

(a) contains new or altered genetic material; and

(b) is not substantially equivalent in any characteristic or property of the food;

must indicate on the label the origin and nature of the characteristic or property modified.

Editorial note: Not substantially equivalent in any characteristic or property of the food includes—

(a) where the modification results in one or more significant compositional or nutritional parameters having values outside the normal range of values for the existing equivalent food or food ingredient; or

(b) where the level of anti-nutritional factors or natural toxicants are considered significantly different in comparison to the existing equivalent food or food ingredient; or

(c) where the food contains a new factor known to cause an allergic response in particular sections of the population; or

(d) where the intended use of the food or food ingredient is different to the existing equivalent food or food ingredient.

[5] Standard N1 is varied by—

5.1 omitting “paragraphs” from subclause (7) (a) and substituting “subclauses”;

5.2 omitting “and (ba)” from subclause (7) (a);

5.3 omitting “beeswax, carnauba wax and shellac” from subclause (7) (a) and substituting “the mixture”; and

5.4 omitting subclause (7) (ba) and substituting—

"(ba) Mixtures used for the coating of citrus fruit may, in addition to those substances specified in subclause (b), contain—

(i) not more than 30 g/kg of propylene glycol; and

(ii) not more than 250 mg/kg of oxidised polyethylene."