China intensifies inspection on stainless steel food contact products

General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) has issued a notification to launch a campaign targeting at crashing down on counterfeit stainless steel products that come into food contact since July.

Stainless steel food contact products are food utensils, cookware or products used for manufacturing or processing food, which are primarily made of stainless steel products. The experts say that it is easier for the heavy metals contained in the low-quality stainless steel food contact products to migrate to the food at high temperature, or in the acid or alkaline environment. 

The highlights of the enforcement are categorised in the aspects as follows:
1. Production qualification of enterprises:
Check if the electrical food processors that fall under the scope of CCC marking are CCC-marked.
2. Production identification
Check if the packaging or sale packaging of products indicates “for food contact” and type of stainless steel as per requirements of GB 9684-2011 Food Safety­—National Standard for Stainless Steel Products, or if any violation occurs in identification.
3. Raw materials
Examine that whether the use of stainless steel materials complies with national standards in China.
4. Product quality
Inspect the products randomly to see if the products contain dangerous levels of heavy materials such as lead, chromium, nickel, cadmium and arsenic, and check if other indexes comply with relevant mandatory requirements.

Operators with minor quality issues can be granted with a grace period within which they are required to rectify their businesses.

C&K Testing advises operators should control product quality and ensure their products comply with relevant requirements. Product testing can help you to guarantee the regulatory compliance of your products.

【中文版】