China Issues Five Food Packaging Test Method Standards

On March 27, 2025, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) published Notifications on five testing methods related to food-contact materials and articles and an amendment to GB 9685, Use Requirements of Additives for Food Contact Materials and Articles.

The 5 testing method standards below will take effect from September 16, 2025:

• GB 31604-30, Food contact materials and products: Determination of phthalate compounds and migration
• GB 31604-31, Food contact materials and products: Determination of the residual amount and migration amount of vinyl chloride, 1,1-dichloroethylene and 1,1-dichloroethane
• GB 31604-61, Food contact materials and products: Determination of migration of 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol
• GB 31604-62, Food contact materials and products: Determination of migration and release of N-nitrosamine compounds
• GB 31604-63, Food contact materials and products: Determination of migration of 4,4'-biphenylene glycol and 1,1'-sulfonylbis(4-chlorobenzene)

The new amendment is GB 9685-2016, National Food Safety Standard for the Use of Additives for Food Contact Materials and Products" Amendment No. 1. This Amendment took effect from March 16, 2025, the date it was approved.