Materials maker Kraiburg TPE has launched new thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) grades for food contact and other uses.

The new Thermolast-brand materials follow FDA regulations and are free of phthalates, BPA, latex and heavy metals, consumer and medical team manager Josh Ackernecht said on an Aug. 24 webinar hosted by Plastics News.

The grades can be used for food packaging, food storage, kitchenware and personal care for single use or repeated use. Two of the grades can be used with fatty foods, while two others work best with non-fatty foods, Ackernecht said.

Color options for the new materials are natural (opaque white), translucent, transparent or a wide range of specialty colors, he added. They also offer optimized flow and injection and extrusion processing as well as improved abrasion resistance.

Other potential applications for the new materials include toothbrushes, toys, cosmetic packaging, cleaning devices, consumer electronics, grips and other soft-touch products. The grades aimed at fatty foods can be used in packaging for butter, cheese, mayonnaise, chips, ketchup or other condiments.

The materials are dishwasher safe and fully recyclable. When compared to silicone, Ackernecht said the new TPEs are easy to process, have reduced cycle times and can be recycled in a post-consumer waste stream.

Kraiburg is a compounder based in Waldkraiburg, Germany. The firm also operates plants in Malaysia, South Korea, Mexico and Buford, Ga. Last year, Kraiburg launched new recycled-content and super-soft TPEs.

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