VTC Silvergate, a masterbatch producer at Vita in the United Kingdom, has developed food contact specialty masterbatches that replace food-safe grade polymers containing SEM (semicarbazide) seals. VTC Silvergate pointed out that in the past 18 months, people have been paying more and more attention to the toxicity of SEM. As a possible carcinogen, the company has developed this new color masterbatch product. It has been found that the gasket used to rotate the metal lid for 20 years contains trace amounts of SEM. The results of a study conducted by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) in 2003 assume that the SEM will migrate from the gasket to the food, and it has been found that foam gaskets and gaskets use foaming The azoimide (ADC) padded sample contained SEM. VTC Silvergate believes that replacing the seal material will inevitably be more expensive than the original material, and that a high-cost packaging system will be used, so that the seal manufacturer will receive higher profits. The food safety contact material initially selected was TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) and the company's food contact approved color masterbatch. There are more than 20 color masterbatch materials available to facilitate users to distinguish different products. Tony Bestall, the company’s business manager, said: “When a consumer protection organization challenges a polymer, the industry not only looks for alternatives quickly, but also sees this management restriction as an opportunity for its customers to increase their value-added products.†Source: Plastic Additives