On 20 Jan 2015, China NHFPC released the revised draft of GB 9685 for public consultation. The amendment of this key national standard has been orchestrated by an expert panel taking into consideration the feedback and requirements of the various stakeholders from the industry. The draft also encompasses recommendations and provisions from the food contact regulatory framework of more developed areas including EU, USA and Japan. China is taking big steps to make the standard more modern and compatible with international practices. For example, the term “food containers and packaging materials” that has been used by China is to be changed to the more internationally accepted term “food contact materials and their products”.
New name of GB 9685
The standard name has been amended into “GB 9685-xxxx National Food Safety Standard Standard for Uses of Additives in Food Contact Materials and their Products”.
Enlargement of the range of permitted food contact additives
In addition to 1316 substances included in the revised GB 9685, the government also allows the following substances to be used as food contact additives:
Substances covered by the GB 2760 Table A.2 Food additives that can be used various kinds of food properly according to the production need;
Sodium salt, sylvite and calcium salt of acids, alcohols and phenolics listed in the GB 2760 Appendix A Provisions for use of food additives;
Crystal water containing substances of additives in the GB 2760 Appendix A;
Resins that can be used as food contact materials and their products and with molecular weight greater than 1000 Dalton (except macromolecular substances generated via microbial fermentation)
Deletion of 13 substances
4 phthalates | 邻苯二甲酸二甲酯 (DMP) | 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, dimethyl ester | CAS No. 131-11-3
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| 邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯 | 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-methylpropyl) ester | CAS No. 84-69-5 | |
| 邻苯二甲酸二异辛酯 (DIOP) | 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, diisooctyl ester | CAS No. 27554-26-3 | |
| 邻苯二羧酸-二-C9-11支链烷基酯(C10 富集) (DIDP)) | 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, di-C9-11-branched alkyl esters, C10-rich | CAS No. 68515-49-1 | |
1 substance in ink | 1-乙烯基-2-吡咯烷酮 | N-Vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, NVP | CAS 88-12-0 |
6 substances used in ceramic, metal, glasses and enamel | 硼砂 | Borax | CAS No. 1303-96-4 |
| 煅烧高岭土 | Kaolin, calcined | CAS No. 92704-41-1; CAS No. 66402-68-4 | |
| 异丙醇 | 2-Propanol | CAS No. 67-63-0 | |
| 碳酸氢钠 | Carbonic acid monosodium salt | CAS No. 144-55-8 | |
| 碳酸钠 | Carbonic acid disodium salt | CAS No. 497-19-8 | |
| 乙酸 | Acetic acid | CAS No. 64-19-7 | |
2 aquo-complexes | 柠檬酸一水合物 | citricacid monohydrate | CAS No. 5949-29-1 |
| 水合二氧化硅 | Hydrated Silica | CAS No. 10279-57-9 |
Adjustment of the application scope of 5 phthalates
The application range of the following 5 phthalates is further narrowed which are no longer allowed to be used in foods with the alcoholic content higher than 20%:
1 | 邻苯二甲酸二(α-乙基己酯) (DEHP) | 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester (DEHP) | CAS No.117-81-7 |
2 | 邻苯二甲酸二烯丙酯 (DAP) | 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, di-2-propenyl ester (DAP) | CAS No.131-17-9 |
3 | 邻苯二甲酸二异壬酯 | 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, diisononyl ester | CAS No.28553-12-0 |
4 | 邻苯二羧酸-二-C8-10支链烷基酯(C9富集) | 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, di-C8-10-branched alkyl esters, C9-rich | CAS No.68515-48-0 |
5 | 邻苯二甲酸二正丁酯 (DBP) | 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, dibutyl ester (DBP) | CAS No.84-74-2 |
Special restriction for 6 substances used in materials in contact with baby food
1 | 4,4'-(1-甲基亚乙基)双苯酚与(氯甲基)环氧乙烷的聚合物 | Pheol, 4,4'-(1-methylethylidene)bis-, polymer with (chloromethyl)oxirane; (CAS No. 25068-38-6; 25085-99-8) | Not allowed to be used in materials that are in contact with baby food |
2 | 2-甲基丙烯酸与环氧氯丙烷、苯乙烯和4,4＇-(1-甲基亚乙基)双酚的聚合物；双酚A-表氯醇-甲基丙烯酸-苯乙烯共聚物； | 2-Propenoic acid，2-methyl-，polymer with (chloromethyl) oxirane, ethenylbenzene and 4,4'-(1-methylethylidene)bis[phenol] (CAS No.28262-39-7) | |
3 | 双酚A | Bisphenol A (CAS No. 80-05-7) | |
4 | 环氧大豆油 | Soybean oil, epoxidized (CAS No. 8013-07-8) | When used in materials in contact with baby food, the SML<20 mg/kg |
5 | 2,2'-亚甲基双(4-甲基-6-叔丁基苯酚) | Phenol, 2,2'-methylenebis[6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl- (CAS No. 119-47-1) | When used in the nipple, relevant requirements should be met |
6 | 叔二丁基羟基甲苯(BHT); 2,6-二叔丁基对甲基苯酚 | Phenol, 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl- (CAS No. 128-37-0) |
New layout
The revised GB 9685 was restructured to include the following parts:
1. Preface (lists all major amendments made);
2. Body
Scope
Terms and definitions
Principles for use of FCMs and their products
Provisions for use of FCMs and their products
3. Appendix
Table A.1 Additives permitted in food contact plastic and their products
Table A.2 Additives permitted in food contact coatings
Table A.3 Additives permitted in food contact rubber and their products
Table A.4 Additives permitted in ink used as FCMs and their products
Table A.5 Additives permitted in adhesive used as FCMs and their products
Table A.6 Additives permitted in food contact paper and their products
Table A.7 Additives permitted in silicone rubber and other FCMs and their products
Appendix A Requirements for use of FCMs and their products
Appendix B SML(T)
Appendix C Special restriction provisions for metallic element
Appendix D Abbreviations of plastic in Appendix A
Appendix E Index of food contact additives
Tremendous changes have been made. Besides the afore-mentioned differences, amendments also made to the maximum level, SML, names of substances, composite food contact materials, etc. The draft is expected to be finalized in the middle of this year.
