China’s National Health Commission publishes new standards for Food Contact Materials

On 12 March 2024, the National Health Commission of China (NHC) released a new standard GB 4806.15-2024 for adhesives in materials used for food preparation and storage. This new standard introduces controls on food contact materials (FCMs) including composite materials and pressure-sensitive adhesives.

Categorization of Adhesive

The standard divides adhesives into two categories: direct and indirect food contact applications. Direct food contact applications which have a higher migration risk will be more strictly regulated. For indirect food contact applications which have lower migration risks, the requirements will be less stringent.

Requirements and Implementation

The new standard also includes a list of substances that can be used for direct and indirect food contact and the requirements for their use in the annexes. According to the annexes, 51 raw materials are approved for direct food contacts and 341 substances are permitted for indirect food contact materials. Materials approved for direct contact applications are also approved for indirect contact materials.

Adhesive products must indicate on the label which category they fall into. Additionally, additives used in adhesives must meet the requirements of standards GB 4806.1-2016, GB 9685-2019, and any further announcements.

Implementation Date and Contact Information

The new standard will come into force on 8 February 2025. For further information, please contact Global Product Compliance (GPC) at compliance@gpcregulatory.cn or zhengmin@cn.gpcregulatory.com.