[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 21, Volume 3]
[Revised as of April 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 21CFR173.73]

[Page 120]
 
                        TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
 
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 
                          SERVICES (CONTINUED)
 
PART 173--SECONDARY DIRECT FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION--Table of Contents
 
 Subpart A--Polymer Substances and Polymer Adjuvants for Food Treatment
 
Sec. 173.73  Sodium polyacrylate.

    Sodium polyacrylate (CAS Reg. No. 9003-04-7) may be safely used in 
food in accordance with the following prescribed conditions:
    (a) The additive is produced by the polymerization of acrylic acid 
and subsequent hydrolysis of the polyacrylic acid with an aqueous sodium 
hydroxide solution. As determined by a method entitled ``Determination 
of Weight Average and Number Average Molecular Weight of Sodium 
Polyacrylate,'' which is incorporated by reference in accordance with 5 
U.S.C. 552(a), the additive has--
    (1) A weight average molecular weight of 2,000 to 2,300; and
    (2) A weight average molecular weight to number average molecular 
weight ratio of not more than 1.3. Copies of the method are available 
from the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-200), Food 
and Drug Administration, 200 C Street SW., Washington, DC 20204, or 
available for inspection at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 
North Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC 20408.
    (b) The additive is used to control mineral scale during the 
evaporation of beet sugar juice or cane sugar juice in the production of 
sugar in an amount not to exceed 3.6 parts per million by weight of the 
raw juice.

[53 FR 39456, Oct. 7, 1988; 53 FR 49823, Dec. 9, 1988]