# Polyethylene, Oxidized

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**Safety rating:** SAFE
**CAS number:** 68441-17-8
**Category:** other
**FDA GRAS:** no
**Adverse events (FDA AERS):** 0
**FDA recalls:** 0
**Last updated:** 2026-04-04

## Summary

Oxidized polyethylene (CAS 68441-17-8) is a modified plastic polymer used as a surface-finishing agent in food processing. It functions to improve the surface properties of food contact materials and packaging, though it is not directly added to food itself.

## Regulatory status

| Country | Status |
| --- | --- |
| United States | approved |
| European Union | not_evaluated |
| United Kingdom | approved |
| Canada | approved |
| Australia | approved |
| Japan | approved |
| South Korea | approved |
| Brazil | approved |
| China | approved |
| India | approved |

## Detailed analysis

## What is Oxidized Polyethylene?

Oxidized polyethylene is a chemically modified form of polyethylene, a common plastic polymer. The oxidation process introduces oxygen-containing functional groups into the polyethylene backbone, altering its surface properties and making it more polar. This modification enhances adhesion, printability, and coating characteristics. The substance is primarily used in the food industry as a surface-finishing agent applied to food contact surfaces and packaging materials rather than as a direct food ingredient.

## Common Uses

Oxidized polyethylene is utilized in food manufacturing as a surface treatment for:

- Food contact plastics and films
- Packaging materials
- Processing equipment surfaces
- Coating applications on food machinery

The additive improves the performance of these materials by enhancing surface finish, adhesion properties, and compatibility with other coatings or inks. It is particularly valuable in applications requiring improved printability or barrier properties in food packaging.

## Safety Assessment

Oxidized polyethylene has not been formally approved by the FDA as a Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) substance. However, the FDA maintains no recorded adverse events associated with this additive, and there are no recalls linked to its use in food applications. The lack of adverse event reports suggests a favorable practical safety profile in food contact applications.

As a surface-finishing agent, oxidized polyethylene does not directly contact food in most applications; rather, it modifies the surface of food contact materials. This limited direct food contact reduces potential exposure pathways. The modified polymer remains on the substrate surface and is not intended to migrate into food products under normal use conditions.

The inert nature of polyethylene-based polymers and their widespread use in food packaging support the generally safe profile of this substance. The oxidation process creates a more stable, less reactive surface compared to untreated polyethylene in many applications.

## Regulatory Status

While oxidized polyethylene is not FDA GRAS-listed, it operates within the regulatory framework as a processing aid or surface-finishing agent in food manufacturing. The FDA's Code of Federal Regulations permits its use in certain applications where it functions as a manufacturing aid that does not become part of the final food product.

In the European Union, polyethylene and its oxidized forms are regulated under Commission Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. Oxidized polyethylene may be acceptable under specific conditions where migration limits are not exceeded.

The lack of FDA GRAS status does not indicate unsafe use; rather, it reflects that this substance operates under alternative regulatory pathways as a processing aid with established safety practices in the food industry.

## Key Studies

Limited published research specifically addresses oxidized polyethylene in food applications. Most available data derives from:

- Industrial safety data sheets documenting the substance's chemical properties
- Migration studies on polyethylene-based food contact materials
- General toxicology data on polyethylene polymers, which show minimal systemic toxicity

The absence of adverse event reports and recalls in FDA databases, combined with decades of industrial use without documented safety incidents, suggests an acceptable safety profile for its intended application as a surface-finishing agent on food contact materials.

## Sources

- FDA Substances Added to Food (CFSAN)
- OpenFDA Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS)
- OpenFDA Food Recalls
- EFSA OpenFoodTox
- EU Food Additive Portal

## Citation

Additive Facts. "Polyethylene, Oxidized — Safety, regulation, and evidence." https://additivefacts.com/additives/polyethylene-oxidized. Accessed 2026-05-20.