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On July 4, 2025, the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan (CCA) announced revisions to the "Monomers, etc. constituting the base materials specified in Table 1 of Appended Table 1 of Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc." through Notification No. 437. The amendments took effect on the same day.
The focus of this revision is Appendix 12, which pertains to “Polymer mainly composed of ester bonds” In Appendix 12, "essential monomers" are categorized into two groups: "acid types" and "alcohol types." Ester bonds are formed through one of the following two combinations:
"Acid type + Acid type"
"Alcohol type + Acid type"
Additionally, these combinations can be paired with "optional substances" to create polymers.
With this amendment, based on a request from industry, "3-methyl-1,5-pentanediol (CAS No. 4457-71-0)" has been moved from "optional substance" to "essential monomer" and classified as an "alcohol type."
The "Monomers, etc. constituting the base materials specified in Table 1 of Appended Table 1 of Specifications and Standards for Foods, Food Additives, Etc." refers to a list of chemical substances that are approved for use in food contact materials in Japan. This list consists of the main text and 21 appendices, which not only enumerate the substances that can be used but also specify the conditions (usage restrictions) for each substance.
This regulatory document is widely regarded as essential for compliance with Japan’s Positive List System for food contact materials.
