German chemicals major BASF is stepping up for the food industry with a new portfolio of polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) grades that are completely free of Bisphenol S (BPS) and Bisphenol A (BPA).
The Ultrason P range meets the requirements of EU Commission Regulation that bans bisphenols in food-contact materials. After the specified transition periods, non-compliant articles will no longer be produced or imported into the European Union.
The six Ultrason P grades, complete with datasheets, material certificates, and food contact approvals, are now available. Manufacturers of reusable bottles, catering tableware, coffee machine components, and high-heat pans can start re-qualifying their applications—currently made from polyethersulfone (PESU) and other affected materials—well ahead of the 2028 deadline.
BASF says the move ensures a smooth transition while offering a robust PPSU portfolio with excellent processing, design flexibility, and long-term performance.
The EU regulation, effective January 2025, prohibits hazardous bisphenols in food-contact materials and sets staggered transition periods for placing articles on the market until January 2028. PPSU, however, is exempt from these restrictions, providing a reliable solution for manufacturers needing a compliant material alternative.
BASF’s six Ultrason P grades target manufacturers currently using PESU, polysulfone (PSU), or polyetherimide (PEI) in food-contact applications.
They offer easy mold release, versatile color possibilities—from opaque to translucent—and the high performance Ultrason customers expect: temperature-independent mechanical properties, resistance to detergents, oils, fats, and superheated steam, superior toughness, and dimensional stability. Ultrason P is already trusted in household articles, catering dishes, baby bottles, and microwaveable containers.
“Bisphenols as defined in the EU regulation 2024/3190 are not used in the manufacture of our Ultrason P,” says Georg Graessel, global business management Ultrason at BASF.
“We have adapted and extended this portfolio to give manufacturers sufficient time to test and re-qualify their food-contact products until the ban takes full effect in the EU. Technical data sheets and required certificates can be provided to support qualification processes. Existing injection molding tools for PESU can continue to be used.”
The regulation covers only food-contact applications, not drinking water, and polysulfone remains exempt in filtration membrane assemblies for food.
