South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has published its latest specifications for food contact materials and articles.
Notice No. 2021-76 was issued in September 2021. It contains the latest requirements under the nation’s ‘Standards and Specifications for Utensils, Containers and Packaging’. It incorporates proposed provisions issued in May 2021.
Provisions include:
- New language and a new structure for better clarity
- Adding polyketones as a new material under synthetic resins:
- Lead: no more than 1.0 mg/L
- Potassium permanganate consumption: no more than 10.0 mg/L
- Overall migration: no more than 30 mg/L
- Grouping synthetic resins with similar structures into nine categories:
- Olefins with six materials
- Esters (twelve), with butylenesuccinate copolymer (PBS) and butylenesuccinate-adipate copolymer (PBSA) as individual entries – the requirements for potassium permanganate consumption are now excluded for non-water-resistant PBSA containers
- Styrenes (five)
- Amines (three)
- Acrylics (three)
- Aldehydes (four)
- Ethers (five)
- Vinyl chlorides (two)
- Others (three – fluorocarbons, epoxy resins and polyketones)
- Providing specifications in the form of a table for each synthetic resin, rubber, regenerated cellulose, paper, metal/alloy, wood, starch as well as glass, ceramic, enamel and pottery materials, for ease of reference
- Providing new safety provisions for active and intelligent materials/containers
- Regulating the use of recycled synthetic resins, including improved standards for recycled polyethylene terephthalates (PET)
Polyketone is a copolymer of carbon monoxide, ethylene and propylene, and refers to a synthetic resin in which the content of carbon monoxide in the base polymer is approximately 50%.
Food contact materials and articles are regulated under the Food Sanitation Act in South Korea. It prohibits the presence or use of toxic/harmful chemicals in food contact utensils, containers and packaging and directs the MFDA to establish standards and specifications for these products.
Implementation will happen in phases with the following effective dates:
- September 7, 2021 – Notice 2021-76
- January 1, 2022 – recognized raw materials (flakes, etc.) used during the recycling process if these are recycled synthetic resins made of physically regenerated PET materials and meet the criteria for recycled synthetic resins in utensils, containers and packaging
Stakeholders are advised to now check their products conform to the latest South Korean requirements for food contact materials and articles.
SGS Food Contact Materials Services
SGS’s technical experts have extensive experience of testing materials and articles in contact with food. They can ensure that your products meet the appropriate regulations for food contact materials and pave the way for compliance. SGS offers the full range of testing, including migration tests, along with expert advice on emerging regulations, compliance issues and documentation review. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s Food Contact Materials Services.
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