Scientific Opinion on the safety assessment of the substance 1,7-octadiene, CAS No 3710-30-3, for use in food contact materials

This scientific opinion of the EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids (CEF) deals with the safety assessment of the substance 1,7-octadiene, CAS No 3710-30-3, FCM No 1034 for use as a crosslinking co-monomer in polyolefins at a maximum use level of 0.9 %. There were no residues of the substance detectable in the polymer (< 16 μg/kg detection limit) and no detectable migration of the substance itself and its two main impurities into appropriate food simulants (detection limits in the range of 1-8 μg/kg). A comparative migration test between low density polyethylene samples made with and without the substance into 95 % ethanol at 10 days/40 °C showed no qualitative difference between the two gas chromatography–mass spectrometry chromatograms (GC-MS). The GC-MS analysis gave complex chromatograms of oligomeric species, from which it was estimated that overall migration was considerably lower than the overall migration limit of 10 mg/dm². Based on the negative results of three in vitro tests, the Panel considered that the substance is not of genotoxic concern. The CEF Panel concluded that the substance 1,7-octadiene is not of a safety concern for the consumer if the substance is only to be used as a crosslinking co-monomer in the manufacture of polyolefins for contact with any type of foods for long term storage at room temperature and including hot fill conditions and the migration of the substance does not exceed 0.05 mg/kg food. As the polyolefin oligomers and other reaction products containing the co-monomer are likely to strongly vary in amount and composition, depending on the polymerization and manufacturing process used, they were not evaluated by the Panel. Evaluation of these oligomers and reaction products should be conducted case by case by the business operator.