Safety assessment of the substance phosphorus acid, triphenyl ester, polymer with alpha‐hydro‐omega‐hydroxypoly[oxy(methyl‐1,2‐ethanediyl)], C10‐16 alkyl esters, for use in food contact materials

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials (FCM) assessed the safety of phosphorus acid, triphenyl ester, polymer with alpha‐hydro‐omega‐hydroxypoly[oxy(methyl‐1,2‐ethanediyl)], C10‐16 alkyl esters, intended to be used as additive in acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymers (ABS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS). The substance is a polymer with < 10% w/w low molecular weight fraction (< 1000 Da). The safety of its use in HIPS and ABS was already evaluated by the EFSA CEP Panel in 2019 and 2021, respectively. This opinion assesses the safety of the extension of the use to up to 0.25% w/w for ABS and to the contact with alcoholic and fatty food for HIPS. Migration tests were carried out with food simulants and samples containing the substance at the maximum intended levels. For ABS, the specific migration was below the limit of detection (LoD) of 0.005 mg/kg food (3% acetic acid and 10% ethanol) and up to 0.007 mg/kg food (20% and 50% ethanol). For HIPS, the specific migration was up to 0.020 mg/kg food (20% ethanol) and up to 0.039 mg/kg food (50% ethanol). The assessment of toxicological data was reported in the previous opinions and the corresponding conclusions are considered still valid. The FCM Panel concluded that the substance is not of safety concern for the consumer if its migration does not exceed 0.05 mg/kg food and it is used in ABS at up to 0.25% w/w in contact with aqueous, acidic, alcoholic and oil‐in‐water emulsion foods, and in HIPS at up to 0.2% w/w in contact with all types of food, in both materials for long term storage at room temperature and below, after hot‐fill and/or heating up to 100°C for up to 2 h. The use in contact with human milk and infant formula was excluded and hence was not addressed in this assessment.