FCM Requiring Designated Labs and or Certification

Food contact materials and articles (FCMs) destined for certain markets are required to be tested by designated (approved) laboratories and/or certified by Certification Bodies before they can access these important markets.

These procedures provide formal recognition to competency that independently and impartially verify compliance to a standard or regulation to allow economic operators to access these highly controlled but important markets.

In the Asia Pacific Region, Japan requires foreign laboratories to be designated in order to conduct testing on FCM (and other products) under the Japan Food Sanitation Act (JFSA) for formal acceptance by its quarantine stations. China requires FCMs to be tested by laboratories accredited by the China National Accreditation Services (CNAS) and China Metrology Accreditation (CMA), whilst neighboring Republic of Korea (South Korea) requires laboratories to be approved by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

In the Americas, food contact glass and ceramics destined for Colombia and Mexico are required to undergo certification before these products can be released on to their respective markets. Similarly, certification is required for melamine dinnerware products and vacuum Thermos flasks (including cups) to Kuwait, and FCMs to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) or Saudi Arabia.

The laws and standards for certain important markets requiring designated laboratories and/or certification of food contact goods are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1.