As one of the key and fundamental national standards for Food Contact Materials (FCM) in China, the current version of GB 9685-2008 Hygienic Standard for Uses of Additives in Food Containers and Packaging Materials is being revised by the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) (see CL Food News on 17 Feb 2013) under commission by the NHFPC. At the China Food and FCM Regulatory Summit of REACH24H (See CL Food News on 20 Oct), Miss Zhong Hong from CFSA reported that the draft version of the new GB9685 is almost finished and currently undergoing a period of internal industry discussion. The public can expect to see the final draft in Nov 2014.
Compared to the 2008 version, the new GB 9685 will contain the following changes:
The standard name
The application scope of the standard
Some terminologies and their definitions: the term “food containers and packaging materials” will be modified into “food contact materials and their products” and the definition is revised; a new term “maximum specific migration ” is added;
Descriptions for use of each appendix in the revised standard will be added;
The permitted FCM additives included in the revised GB 9685 will be listed according to their application scope.
4 phthalates such as 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid (CAS No. 131-11-3) will be deleted and the application scope of other phthalates will be modified;
Additives used in glass, metal, pottery and porcelain will be deleted;
An appendix B and requirements for maximum specific migration and appendix C special restrictions for metallic elements will be added.
107 food contact resins approved by the MOH Announcement No.23-2011 will be added.
In addition to the important revision progress of GB 9685, Miss. Zhong Hong also revealed the following FCM-concerned standards are being drafted:
General Hygienic Standard for Production of Food Contact Materials and their Products;
General Safety Requirements for Food Contact Materials and their Products (including label requirements);
General Rules for Migration Test of Food Contact Materials and their Products
Another testing standard GB 5009.156 General Principles for the Determination of Migration of Packaging Materials and Their Products is being revised. At the conference, a delegate asked Miss. Zhang whether the government would approve mixtures as new FCM additives if they have already been recognized in Euro as safe, however her answer was a resounding no.
Food contact materials are closely related to food safety. These regulatory updates indicate the comprehensive improvement of Chinese FCM regulation in terms of the additive, product, production and testing.
