Evonik, German-based specialty chemicals company, has received approval for its food
contact substance ‘VESTAMID Terra DS16 natural’. VESTAMID Terra DS16 is a biobased polymer belonging to the family of PA1010 polyamides.
The polymer is based on renewable feedstock. The starting material is the castor bean and its oil derivatives. VESTAMID Terra DS is based on polyamide 1010, which is the polycondensation product of 1, 10-decamethylene diamine (D) and 1, 10-decanedoic diacid (sebacic acid – S). Both of these are derived from castor oil, which means that Terra DS is 100% Bio based.
Another polymer named Terra HS, based on polyamide 610, contains polycondensation product of 1, 6-hexamethylene diamine (H) and 1, 10-decanedoic diacid (sebacic acid – S) and is 63% biobased. Terra HS is already being approved in the EU and USA for food contact with non-alcoholic food materials.