What is the GB 4806 series standard?
The GB 4806 series of standards form a mandatory national standard system for food contact materials and products in China, serving as a critical safety requirement for the food packaging industry. This series covers the entire supply chain from raw materials to finished products, specifying safety requirements and testing methods for food contact materials. As a packaging procurement officer or quality manager in a food enterprise, a thorough understanding of the GB 4806 series is essential to ensure product compliance and avoid legal risks.
Framework of the GB 4806 Series Standards
The GB 4806 standard system consists of two major parts: general standards and product-specific standards. GB 4806.1-2016 “General Safety Requirements for Food Contact Materials and Articles” is the foundational document of the entire system, specifying basic requirements, limit requirements, conformity principles, and labeling requirements.
Under general standards, specific product standards have been established for different material types: GB 4806.6-2016 applies to plastic resins, and GB 4806.7-2016 applies to plastic materials and articles intended for food contact. These are the standards most directly related to plastic packaging bags.
In addition, it includes GB 4806.8-2016 (Paper and Paperboard), GB 4806.9-2016 (Metal Materials), GB 4806.10-2016 (Coatings and Laminates), GB 4806.11-2016 (Rubber Materials), forming a complete network of standards.
Key Limiting Indicator Interpretation
The core of the GB 4806 series standards is the limit requirements, which mainly include the following key indicators:
Overall Migration Limit (OML)It is an indicator of the total amount of substances migrating from the material into food. For plastic food contact materials, GB 4806.7 specifies that the total migration shall not exceed 10 mg/dm² (based on surface area), representing the overall safety level of the material.
Specific Migration Limit (SML)Migration limits are set for specific substances. For example, the SML for formaldehyde is 15 mg/kg of food or food simulant, while that for heavy metal lead is 1 mg/kg. The SML for plasticizer DBP is as low as 0.3 mg/kg. These limits vary significantly due to differences in the toxicity of the substances.
Residue LimitThe focus is on the content of certain substances in the material itself. For example, the total amount of solvent residues in composite packaging shall not exceed 5 mg/m², with no detection of aromatic solvent compounds.
Practical Corporate Compliance
For packaging manufacturing enterprises, compliance processes include the following key steps: first, confirming that the raw materials used are listed in the GB 4806.6 permitted list to ensure food-grade materials are used; second, controlling solvent residues during processing steps such as lamination and printing, adopting low-solvent or solvent-free processes; third, establishing a complete outgoing inspection system and regularly conducting total migration and specific migration tests.
For food enterprises, when selecting packaging suppliers, it is essential to: request suppliers to provide valid third-party test reports, with a focus on the results of total migration and specific migration; conduct regular verification tests on packaging materials; and establish a supplier admission and periodic evaluation system.
It should be noted that the GB 4806 series standards are continuously being updated. Since 2023, the National Health Commission has revised multiple standards, including updates to migration testing methods and the addition of new substances, which are ongoing developments that enterprises should keep closely informed about.
Common Compliance Issues and Solutions
In actual production, companies often encounter compliance issues such as excessive solvent residue in composite processes, which can be addressed by controlling drying temperature and time or switching to a solvent-free composite process; excessive ink migration in printing can be resolved by using food-grade inks or adding a barrier layer; unclear applicability of product standards is recommended to be clarified by consulting third-party testing institutions or industry associations to determine the applicable standard range.
In addition, label markings are a key focus of compliance inspections. GB 4806.1 clearly stipulates that food contact materials and products should indicate “for food contact use” or similar wording on the label, along with production date, shelf life, and material information.
Relationship Between GB 4806 and Export Certification
For food packaging products intended for export, the alignment of the GB 4806 series standards with the international standard system is another important topic. Although GB 4806 shares consistency with the EU’s Regulation (EC) No 10/2011 and the US FDA 21 CFR in terms of safety concepts, there are differences in specific indicators and testing methods. For example, the EU has stricter migration limits for primary aromatic amines, while China’s national standards have more detailed requirements for certain heavy metals.
Therefore, packaging companies serving both domestic and international markets may need to comply with multiple standard systems. Huashu Packaging has the capability to meet both domestic and export standards, helping enterprises solve standard compliance issues in one-stop.