Avantium has announced the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its polyethylene furanoate (PEF) grade as packaging material for all food types, whether filled and stored at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen.
The Dutch renewable chemistry company had already secured similar approvals in the European Union and the United Kingdom.
“The FDA’s acceptance of Avantium’s PEF for food contact applications marks a significant achievement for Avantium,” said Ana Sousa Dias, manager product stewardship and regulatory affairs at Avantium. “It highlights our dedication to providing sustainable and safe solutions for the packaging industry and consumers. We are excited to see the positive impact PEF will have on the market.”
PEF is a 100% plant-based and recyclable plastic. Applications include polyesters, polyamides and polyurethanes, as well as coating resins, plasticisers, and other chemical products.
Avantium plans to start commercialising PEF when it officially launches its flagship FDCA plant on Oct. 22, 2024, in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The facility will use Avantium’s proprietary YXY technology to produce furandicarboxylic acid. That technology uses catalysts to convert plant-based sugar (fructose) into FDCA, the key building block for a wide range of plant-based chemicals and PEF.
The company has already established supply agreements for PEF or its building block FDCA, including Helios, Henkel, and Carlsberg. The conditional offtake agreements represent 95% of the capacity of the flagship plant for the first five years of operation.