New food-contact grades ensure regulatory compliance and business continuity
- Clear and transparent differentiation between Ultradur® Aqua grades and dedicated food-contact grades for drinking water respectively food-contact applications
- New Ultradur® food‑contact grades ensure long-term regulatory compliance and guarantee business continuity for food‑contact applications
- The new glass-fiber-reinforced Ultradur® FC grades comply with the EU requirements for materials without BPA coming into force in July 2026
BASF Engineering Plastics is positioning its Ultradur® portfolio for drinking water and food-contact applications with a clear focus on the future. As a first step, BASF will offer two clearly differentiated product lines for glass-fiber-reinforced materials: proven Aqua grades for drinking water applications and dedicated FC (Food Contact) grades for use in food-contact applications. This approach provides a transparent and reliable basis for safe material selection - both today and in the future.
In response to evolving regulatory requirements, food-contact grades will now be clearly designated as such and will hold the corresponding certifications for food-contact applications. Customers benefit from clear guidance and the assurance that they can continue to rely on high-performance and compliant Ultradur® solutions.
This portfolio development is driven by Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/3190, published in December 2024. Following the end of the transition period on July 20, 2026, the regulation bans the use of bisphenol A (BPA) and other bisphenols classified as hazardous in plastics, coatings, and varnishes intended for food contact. BASF has proactively addressed these changes by further developing its Ultradur® food‑contact portfolio to continue offering reliable solutions to customers over the long term.
Advanced Ultradur® FC grades for food contact applications
Among the materials affected by the new EU regulation were certain glassfiber reinforced Ultradur® food-contact grades, which required targeted formulation adjustments. BASF has taken this as an opportunity to systematically further develop and future-proof its food-contact portfolio. Today, the following Ultradur® grades without BPA with valid food-contact certifications are already available, among others:
- Ultradur® B4300G6 FC UN
- Ultradur® B4300G6 FC BK15136
- Ultradur® B4300G4 FC R03 UN
- Ultradur® B4300G4 FC BK15136
These materials cover a wide range of applications in the food sector - from components for coffee machines and cookware to parts for industrial food processing, conveyor systems, and handling equipment for eggs and other food products. In this way, BASF supports customers in the safe continuation of existing applications while also enabling future developments.
Ultradur® Aqua grades remain available as a separate portfolio
To ensure the continuity of existing drinking water certifications at the customer level, the established Aqua grades will remain available with unchanged formulations and continue to be marketed under their current product names. These products are specifically designed for water and drinking water applications and will continue to form the reliable foundation of this portfolio. However, despite similar naming conventions, glass-fiber-reinforced Aqua grades will no longer carry food-contact certifications going forward.
By clearly differentiating between Aqua and food‑contact materials within the Ultradur® family, BASF provides transparency and planning certainty for processors, OEMs, and brand owners. At a glance, customers can identify which engineering plastics grades are approved for drinking water and which are suitable for food contact - enabling them to align their material choices early and confidently with future regulatory requirements.