SG 69/24
China has issued new mandatory food contact material standards for adhesives and solvent residues.
In March 2024, China’s National Health Commission and State Administration for Market Regulation announced the publication of 47 national food safety standards. Among this set were two important standards for food contact materials (FCM) and articles:
GB 4806.15-2024 is the nation’s first standard for food contact adhesives. It:
GB 4806.15-2024 ‘National food safety standard: Adhesives for food contact materials and products’, Table 2 ‘General physical and chemical indicators’ (per standard text)
| Item | Parameter | Requirement | Standard |
| 1 | Overall migration¹ | ≤10 mg/dm², otherwise ≤60 mg/kg for adhesives used in food contact materials and articles for infants and young children | GB 31604.8 |
| 2 | Potassium permanganate consumption¹ | ≤10 mg/kg | GB 31604.2 |
| 3 | Heavy metals (expressed as lead)¹ | ≤1 mg/kg | GB 31604.9 |
| 4 | Total specific migration of primary aromatic amines (PAA)² | Not detected (ND) (Limit of detection = 0.01 mg/kg) | GB 31604.52 |
¹Applies to adhesive layer in direct contact with food. Adhesive layers that are indirect contact with food are assessed against national standards for safety requirements for the layer that is in direct contact with food
²Applies to adhesives containing aromatic urethanes or other adhesives that may produce PAA. The specific migration for PAA is conducted on finished goods. ND applies to sum of PAA that are not specified in Appendices A or B of GB 4806.15-2024, GB 9685 and related announcements
Table A
The implementation dates for these two standards are summarized in Table B.
| Standard | Date of publication | Effective date |
| GB 31604.60-2024 ‘Solvent residues in FCM and products’ | February 8, 2024 | August 8, 2024 |
| GB 4806.15-2024 ‘Food contact adhesives’ | February 8, 2024 | February 8, 2025 |
Table B.
SGS has the expertise to help manufacturers and suppliers of FCM achieve compliance with markets around the globe. Our technical experts have extensive experience of testing materials and articles for many markets. We offer the full range of FCM testing, including migration tests, along with expert advice on emerging regulations, compliance issues and documentation review. Our experience can ensure your products meet the appropriate territorial regulations for food contact materials and help pave the way for compliance. Contact us to know more or visit our website. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.
© SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. This publication or website is a property of SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. All contents including website designs, text, and graphics contained herein are owned by or licensed to SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. The information provided is for technical and general information purposes only and offers no legal advice. The information is no substitute for professional legal advice to ensure compliance with the applicable laws and regulations. All information is provided in good faith “as is”, and SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, and does not warrant that the information will be error-free or meet any particular criteria of performance or quality.
