Implementation of Japan’s “Positive List” Confirms FDCA Approval for Food-Contact Use

Avantium N.V., a leading company in renewable and circular polymer materials, is pleased to share that Japan has fully implemented its Positive List system for food contact plastics as of 1 June 2025. This list, part of the Food Sanitation Law, includes FDCA (2,5-furandicarboxylic acid) as an approved monomer. As a result, PEF (polyethylene furanoate), a plant-based plastic made from FDCA, is now eligible for use in food-contact applications in Japan, where only substances included on the Positive List are permitted. This is an important step forward for sustainable packaging solutions in one of the world’s key markets.

Japan introduced its Positive List (PL) system for synthetic resins in 2020 to ensure that only safe, approved substances are used in food-contact materials. The now implemented Positive List system places clear emphasis on the individual components used to produce plastics for food packaging. With FDCA now included on Japan’s Positive List, PEF can be more broadly adopted for sustainable food packaging across the Japanese market. This builds on existing food contact approvals already granted in Europe and the United States.

“This is an important milestone for Avantium’s FDCA and PEF,” said Ana Sousa Dias, Manager Product Stewardship and Regulatory Affairs at Avantium. “The implementation of the Positive List with FDCA not only validates the safety of our innovative materials, but also paves the way for broader adoption of PEF in food packaging in Japan. It marks an exciting step forward in bringing circular and renewable solutions to one of the world’s most advanced markets.”