§ 177.1210 Closures with sealing gaskets for food containers.

Closures with sealing gaskets may be safely used on containers intended for use in producing, manufacturing, packing, processing, preparing, treating, packaging, transporting, or holding food in accordance with the following prescribed conditions: (a) Closures for food containers are manufactured from substances generally recognized as safe for contact with food; substances that are subject to the provisions of prior sanctions; substances authorized by regulations in parts 174, 175, 176, 177, 178 and § 179.45 of this chapter; and closure-sealing gaskets, as further prescribed in this section. (b) Closure-sealing gaskets and overall discs are formulated from substances identified in § 175.300(b) of this chapter, with the exception of paragraph (b)(3)(v), (xxxi), and (xxxii) of that section, and from other optional substances, including the following: (1) Substances generally recognized as safe in food. (2) Substances used in accordance with the provisions of a prior sanction or approval within the meaning of section 201(s) of the act. (3) Substances that are the subject of regulations in parts 174, 175, 176, 177, 178 and § 179.45 of this chapter and used in accordance with the conditions prescribed. (4) Substances identified in paragraph (b)(5) of this section, used in amounts not to exceed those required to accomplish the intended physical or technical effect and in conformance with any limitation provided; and further provided that any substance employed in the production of closure-sealing gasket compositions that is the subject of a regulation in parts 174, 175, 176, 177, 178 and § 179.45 of this chapter conforms with the identity or specifications prescribed. (5) Substances that may be employed in the manufacture of closure-sealing gaskets include: Table 1 Table 2—Maximum Extractives Tolerances [In parts per million] (c) The closure assembly to include the sealing gasket or sealing compound, together with any polymeric or resinous coating, film, foil, natural cork, or glass that forms a part of the food-contact surface of the assembly, when extracted on a suitable glass container with a solvent or solvents characterizing the type of foods, and under conditions of time and temperature characterizing the conditions of its use as determined from tables 3 and 4 shall yield net chloroform-soluble extractives (corrected for zinc as zinc oleate) not to exceed the tolerances specified in table 2, calculated on the basis of the water capacity of the container on which the closure is to be used. Employ the analytical method described in § 175.300 of this chapter, adapting the procedural details to make the method applicable to closures; such as, for example, placing the closed glass container on its side to assure contact of the closure's food-contacting surface with the solvent. Table 4—Test Procedures With Time-Temperature Conditions for Determining Amount of Extractives From Closure-Sealing Gaskets, Using Solvents Simulating Types of Foods and Beverages