[Title 21 CFR 177.1500]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - April 1, 1996 Edition]
[Title 21 - FOOD AND DRUGS]
[Chapter I - FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED)]
[Subchapter B - FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION]
[Part 177 - INDIRECT FOOD ADDITIVES: POLYMERS]
[Subpart B - Substances for Use as Basic Components of Single and Repeated]
[Sec. 177.1500 - Nylon resins.]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


21FOOD AND DRUGS31996-04-011996-04-01falseNylon resins.177.1500Sec. 177.1500FOOD AND DRUGSFOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED)FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTIONINDIRECT FOOD ADDITIVES: POLYMERSSubstances for Use as Basic Components of Single and Repeated
Sec. 177.1500   Nylon resins.

    The nylon resins listed in paragraph (a) of this section may be 
safely used to produce articles intended for use in processing, 
handling, and packaging food, subject to the provisions of this section:
    (a) The nylon resins are manufactured as described in this paragraph 
so as to meet the specifications prescribed in paragraph (b) of this 
section when tested by the methods described in paragraph (c) of this 
section.
    (1) Nylon 66 resins are manufactured by the condensation of 
hexamethylene-diamine and adipic acid.
    (2) Nylon 610 resins are manufactured by the condensation of 
hexamethylene-diamine and sebacic acid.
    (3) Nylon 66/610 resins are manufactured by the condensation of 
equal-weight mixtures of nylon 66 salts and nylon 610 salts.
    (4) Nylon 6/66 resins manufactured by the condensation and 
polymerization of Nylon 66 salts and epsilon-caprolactam.
    (5) Nylon 11 resins are manufactured by the condensation of 11-
aminoundecanoic acid.
    (6) Nylon 6 resins are manufactured by the polymerization of 
epsilon-caprolactam.
    (7) Nylon 66T resins are manufactured by the condensation of 
hexamethyl-enediamine, adipic acid, and terephthalic acid such that 
composition in terms of ingredients is 43.1plus-minus0.2 weight 
percent hexamethyl-enediamine, 35.3plus-minus1.2 weight percent 
adipic acid, and 21.6plus-minus1.2 weight percent terephthalic 
acid.
    (8) Nylon 612 resins are manufactured by the condensation of 
hexamethylenediamine and dodecanedioic acid.
    (9) Nylon 12 resins are manufactured by the condensation of omega-
laurolactam.

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    (10)(i) Impact modified Nylon MXD-6 resins (CAS Reg. No. 59655-05-9) 
manufactured by the condensation of adipic acid, 1,3-
benzenedimethanamine, and T3alpha-(3-aminopropyl)-omega-(3-amino-
propoxy)poly- oxyethylene under such conditions that the alpha-(3-amino-
propyl)-omega-(3-aminopropoxy) polyoxyethylene monomer content does not 
exceed 7 percent by weight of the finished resin.
    (ii) Nylon MXD-6 resins (CAS Reg. No. 25718-70-1) manufactured by 
the condensation of adipic acid and 1,3-benzenedimethanamine.
    (11) Nylon 12T resins are manufactured by the condensation of omega-
laurolactam (CAS Reg. No. 0947-04-6), isophthalic acid (CAS Reg. No. 
0121-91-5), and bis(4-amino-3-methylcycl-ohexyl)methane (CAS Reg. No. 
6864-37-5) such that the composition in terms of ingredients is 34.4 
 1.5 weight percent omega-laurolactam, 26.8  0.4 
weight percent isophthalic acid, and 38.8  0.5 weight 
percent bis(4-amino-3-methylcyclohexyl)-methane.
    (12) Nylon 6I/6T resins (CAS Reg. No. 25750-23-6) are manufactured 
by the condensation of hexamethylenediamine, terephthalic acid, and 
isophthalic acid such that 65 to 80 percent of the polymer units are 
derived from hexamethylene isophthalamide.
    (13)(i) Nylon 6/12 resins (CAS Reg. No. 25191-04-2) are manufactured 
by the copolymerization of a 1 to 1 ratio by weight of epsilon-
caprolactam and omega-laurolactam.
    (ii) Nylon 6/12 resins (CAS Reg. No. 25191-04-2) are manufactured by 
the copolymerization of a ratio of at least 80 weight percent of 
epsilon-caprolactam and no more than 20 weight percent of omega-
laurolactam.
    (14) Nylon 6/69 resins (CAS Reg. No. 51995-62-1) are manufactured by 
the condensation of 49.5+0.5 weight percent epsilon-caprolactam, 
19.4+0.2 weight percent hexamethylenediamine and 31.2+0.3 weight percent 
azelaic acid.
    (b) Specifications:

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                                                                                                       Maximum extractable fraction in selected solvents
                                                     Melting                                               (expressed in percent by weight of resin)    
                                                      point       Solubility in    Viscosity No. (mL/---------------------------------------------------
          Nylon resins           Specific gravity    (degrees    boiling 4.2N HC1          g)                       95 percent                          
                                                   Fahrenheit)                                           Water        ethyl        Ethyl       Benzene  
                                                                                                                     alcohol      acetate               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Nylon 66 resins.............  1.14plus-minus.0      475-495  Dissolves in 1 h.  .................          1.5          1.5          0.2          0.2
                                               15                                                                                                       
2. Nylon 610 resins............  1.09plus-minus.0      405-425  Insoluble after 1  .................          1.0          2.0          1.0          1.0
                                               15                h.                                                                                     
3.1 Nylon 66/610 resins........  1.10plus-minus.0      375-395  Dissolves in 1 h.  .................          1.5          2.0          1.0          1.0
                                               15                                                                                                       
4.1  Nylon 6/66 resins, epsilon- 1.13      440-460  ......do.........  .................          2.0          2.0          1.5          1.5
 caprolactam monomer content                 .015                                                                                                       
 not to exceed 0.7 percent by                                                                                                                           
 weight.                                                                                                                                                
4.2  Nylon 6/66 resins with      1.14      380-400  ......do.........  .................          0.8          1.0          0.5          0.5
 combined caprolactam content                .015                                                                                                       
 greater than 60 percent and                                                                                                                            
 residual epsilon-caprolactam                                                                                                                           
 monomer content not to exceed                                                                                                                          
 0.4 percent by weight. For use                                                                                                                         
 only as specified in Sec.                                                                                                                              
 177.1395 of this chapter (CAS                                                                                                                          
 Reg. No. 24993-04-2).                                                                                                                                  
5.1 Nylon 11 resins for use in   1.04plus-minus.0      355-375  Insoluble after 1  .................          .30          .35          .25           .3
 articles intended for 1-time                  15                h.                                                                                     
 use or repeated use in contact                                                                                                                         
 with food.                                                                                                                                             
5.2 Nylon 11 resins for use      1.04plus-minus.0      355-375  ......do.........  .................          .35         1.60          .35          .40
 only:                                         15                                                                                                       
  a. In articles intended for                                                                                                                           
   repeated use in contact with                                                                                                                         
   food.                                                                                                                                                
  b. In side-seam cements for                                                                                                                           
   articles intended for 1-time                                                                                                                         
   use in contact with food and                                                                                                                         
   which are in compliance with                                                                                                                         
   Sec.  175.300 of this                                                                                                                                
   chapter.                                                                                                                                             
6.1 Nylon 6 resins.............  1.15plus-minus.0      392-446  Dissolves in 1 h.  .................          1.0          2.0          1.0          1.0
                                               15                                                                                                       
6.2 Nylon 6 resins for use only  1.15plus-minus.0      392-446  ......do.........  .................          1.5          2.0          1.0          1.0
 in food-contact films having                  15                                                                                                       
 an average thickness not to                                                                                                                            
 exceed 0.001 in.                                                                                                                                       
7. Nylon 66T resins for use      1.16plus-minus.0      482-518  Insoluble after 1  .................          1.0          1.0          .25          .25
 only in food-contact films                    15                h.                                                                                     
 having an average thickness                                                                                                                            
 not to exceed 0.001 in.                                                                                                                                
8. Nylon 612 resins for use      1.06plus-minus.0      406-420  ......do.........  .................          .50         1.50          .50          .50
 only in articles intended for                 15                                                                                                       
 repeated use in contact with                                                                                                                           
 food at temperatures not to                                                                                                                            
 exceed 212 deg. F..                                                                                                                                    
9. Nylon 12 resins for use       1.01plus-minus.0      335-355  ......do.........  .................          1.0          2.0         1.50         1.50
 only:.                                        15                                                                                                       
a. In food-contact films having  ................                                                                                                       
 an average thickness not to                                                                                                                            
 exceed 0.0016 inch intended                                                                                                                            
 for use in contact with                                                                                                                                
 nonalcoholic food under the                                                                                                                            
 conditions of use A                                                                                                                                    
 (sterilization not to exceed                                                                                                                           
 30 minutes at a temperature                                                                                                                            
 not to exceed 250 F), and B                                                                                                                            
 through H of Table 2 of Sec.                                                                                                                           
 176.170(c) of this chapter,                                                                                                                            
 except as provided in Sec.                                                                                                                             
 177.1390(d).                                                                                                                                           

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b. In coatings intended for                                                                                                                             
 repeated use in contact with                                                                                                                           
 all food types described in                                                                                                                            
 Table 1 of Sec.  176.170(c) of                                                                                                                         
 this chapter, except those                                                                                                                             
 containing more than 8 percent                                                                                                                         
 alcohol, under conditions of                                                                                                                           
 use B through H described in                                                                                                                           
 Table 2 of Sec.  176.170(c) of                                                                                                                         
 this chapter.                                                                                                                                          
10.1 Nylon MXD-6 and impact      1.21      437-491  Dissolves in 1h..  .................          2.0          2.5          1.0          1.0
 modified Nylon MXD-6 film                   0.02                                                                                                       
 having an average thickness                                                                                                                            
 not to exceed 40 microns                                                                                                                               
 (0.0016 inch) for use in                                                                                                                               
 processing, handling, and                                                                                                                              
 packaging of food of types V                                                                                                                           
 and IX listed in table 1 of                                                                                                                            
 Sec.  176.170(c) of this                                                                                                                               
 chapter under conditions of                                                                                                                            
 use C, D, E, F, G, and H in                                                                                                                            
 table 2 of Sec.  176.170(C) of                                                                                                                         
 this chapter.                                                                                                                                          
10.2 Impact modified Nylon MXD-  1.21      437-491  do...............  .................          2.0          2.5          1.0          1.0
 6 resins for use as polymer                 0.02                                                                                                       
 use as polymer modifiers in                                                                                                                            
 Nylon 6 resin films complying                                                                                                                          
 with paragraph (a)(6) of this                                                                                                                          
 section, at levels not to                                                                                                                              
 exceed 13 percent by weight of                                                                                                                         
 films whose average thickness                                                                                                                          
 will not exceed 15 microns                                                                                                                             
 (0.6 mils). The finished film                                                                                                                          
 is used for packaging,                                                                                                                                 
 transporting, or holding food,                                                                                                                         
 excluding beverages containing                                                                                                                         
 more than 8 percent alcohol                                                                                                                            
 (by volume) at temperatures                                                                                                                            
 not to exceed 49 C (120 F)                                                                                                                             
 (conditions of use E, F, and G                                                                                                                         
 in table 2 of Sec.  176.170(c)                                                                                                                         
 of this chapter).                                                                                                                                      
11. Nylon 12T resins for use in  1.06plus-minus0.      290-310  Insoluble after 1  .................          0.1  ...........          0.5          0.5
 contact with all types of food               015                hour.                                                                                  
 except those containing more                                                                                                                           
 than 8 percent alcohol.                                                                                                                                
12. Nylon 6I/6T resins for use   1.2070.1                hour.                                                                                  
 food except alcoholic                                                                                                                                  
 beverages containing more than                                                                                                                         
 8 percent alcohol.                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                        
13.1 Nylon 6/12 resins for use   1.06      260-285  Dissolves in 1     Greater than 140.          2.0  ...........          1.5          1.5
 only in food-contact films                 0.015                hour.                                                                                  
 having an average thickness                                                                                                                            
 not to exceed 51 microns                                                                                                                               
 (0.002 inch). The finished                                                                                                                             
 film is intended to contact                                                                                                                            
 all foods except those                                                                                                                                 
 containing more than 8 percent                                                                                                                         
 ethanol under conditions of                                                                                                                            
 use B, C, D, E, F, G, and H                                                                                                                            
 listed in table 2 of Sec.                                                                                                                              
 176.170(c) of this chapter.                                                                                                                            
13.2 Nylon 6/12 resins with      1.10      380-400  Dissolves in 1 h.  Greater than 160.          0.8          1.0          0.5          0.5
 residual epsilon-caprolactam                0.15                                                                                                       
 not to exceed 0.5 percent by                                                                                                                           
 weight and residual omega-                                                                                                                             
 laurolactam not to exceed 0.1                                                                                                                          
 percent by weight. For use                                                                                                                             
 only as specified in Sec.                                                                                                                              
 177.1395 of this chapter.                                                                                                                              
14. Nylon 6/69 resins for use         1.09 140 using the             3.0  ...........  ...........  ...........
 only as specified in 21 CFR          minus> 0.02                                   method described                                                    
 177.1395 of this chapter.                                                          in Sec.                                                             
                                                                                    177.1500(c)(5)(i                                                    
                                                                                    i) of this                                                          
                                                                                    chapter.                                                            
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    (c) Analytical methods--(1) Specific gravity. Specific gravity shall 
be determined by weighing a 1-gram to 5-gram sample first in air and 
then in freshly boiled distilled water at 23 deg. Cplus-minus2 deg. 
C.
    (2) Melting point. The melting point shall be determined as follows: 
Use a hot-stage apparatus. The use of crossed nicol prisms with a 
microscope hot stage and reading of the thermometer when the 
birefringence disappears increases the accuracy. If the crossed nicol 
apparatus is not available, use the lowest temperature at which the 
sample becomes transparent or the sharp edges or corners of the sample 
become rounded as the melting point. In case of doubt as to the onset of 
melting, the sample is prodded with a sharp instrument. If it sticks to 
the heating block, it is considered to have melted. If the melting point 
is low, dry the sample in an oven at 85 deg. C for 24 hours in a 
nitrogen atmosphere then repeat the test.
    (3) Solubility in boiling 4.2N HCl. The test shall be run on a 
sample approximately the size of a \1/8\-inch cube in at least 25 
milliliters of 4.2 normal hydrochloric acid.
    (4) Maximum extractable fraction in selected solvents. The procedure 
for determining the maximum extractable fraction of the nylon resins in 
selected solvents is as follows:
    (i) Film should be cut with ordinary scissors into pieces of a 
convenient size such as \1/4\-inch squares, for the extraction tests 
described in this section. The granules of nylon molding powders are in 
the proper form for the extraction tests. Samples of fabricated articles 
such as pipe, fittings, and other similar articles must be cut to 
approximately the size of the molding powder. This can be done 
conveniently by using a small-scale commercial plastics granulator and 
cutting the sample through a screen having \1/4\-inch mesh. Fine 
particles should be separated from the cut resin by screening through a 
20-mesh screen. The material retained on the screen is suitable for the 
extraction tests.
    (ii) The organic solvents must be of American Chemical Society 
analytical reagent grade; distilled water is used. Approximately 30 
grams of the prepared sample is weighed to the nearest milligram. The 
weighed resin is transferred to a 500-milliliter round-bottom flask 
equipped with a reflux condenser. Approximately 300-milliliters of 
solvent is added to the flask and the contents refluxed gently for 8 
hours with a heating mantle. The solvent is then filtered off 
immediately while still hot, using a Buchner funnel approximately 5 
inches in diameter, a suction flask, and a hardened filter paper 
(Whatman No. 50 or equivalent). The paper is wet with the solvent and a 
slight suction applied just before starting the filtration. The resin is 
washed twice with approximately 100-milliliter portions of solvent and 
the combined filtrate and washings are reduced to approximately 25 
milliliters by evaporation at reduced pressure (50 millimeters to 100 
millimeters of mercury, absolute), heating as necessary. The contents of 
the flask are transferred to an evaporation dish (which has been held in 
a vacuum desiccator over anhydrous calcium sulfate until constant weight 
has been attained) and carefully evaporated to dryness. The weight of 
the solid residue is determined by difference after holding in a vacuum 
desiccator over anhydrous calcium sulfate until constant weight has been 
attained. The percent of solids extracted is calculated by dividing the 
weight of the solid residue by the weight of the sample and multiplying 
by 100.
    (5) Viscosity number (VN). (i) The viscosity number (VN) for Nylon 
6/12 resin in a 96 percent sulfuric acid solution (5 milligrams resin 
per milliliter) shall be determined at 25  deg.C (77  deg.F) by method 
ISO 307-1984(E), ``Plastics-Polyamides-Determination of Viscosity 
Number,'' which is incorporated by reference. Copies are available from 
the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-200), Food and 
Drug Administration, 200 C St. SW., Washington, DC 20204, or available 
for inspection at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol 
Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC 20408.
    (ii) The viscosity number (VN) for Nylon 6/69 resin in a 99 percent 
cresol solution (5 milligrams resin per milliliter) shall be determined 
at 25  deg.C (77  deg.F) by method ISO 307-1984(E), ``Plastics-
Polyamides-Determination of Viscosity Number,'' which is incorporated

[[Page 259]]

by reference. The availability of this incorporation by reference is 
given in paragraph (c)(5)(i) of this section.

[42 FR 14572, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 45 FR 2844, Jan. 15, 1980; 48 
FR 30361, July 1, 1983; 48 FR 33478, July 22, 1983; 48 FR 36099, Aug. 9, 
1983; 51 FR 33250, Sept. 19, 1986; 52 FR 26667, July 16, 1987; 52 FR 
33575, Sept. 4, 1987; 52 FR 39635, Oct. 23, 1987; 52 FR 42760, Nov. 6, 
1987; 53 FR 19773, May 31, 1988; 54 FR 29019, July 11, 1989; 58 FR 2977, 
Jan. 7, 1993; 58 FR 32610, June 11, 1993; 61 FR 14481, Apr. 2, 1996]