China consults on the draft amendment to GB9685-2008 on additives in FCMs

China has consulted the draft revised GB 9685-2008 on additives in food contact materials (FCMs). Comments shall be submitted to the National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment by 28 February 2013.

After the public consultation period, the revision process is expected to last two years. According to a government source, the new GB 9685 is likely to come into force in 2015.

In November 2009 to improve safety of FCMs, the State Food and Drug Administration published a catalogue of 126 standards in a notice. With the same aim, Ministry of Health (MoH) published another list. Companies shall register substances used for manufacturing FCMs, and those listed in the above mentioned 126 standards or the MoH list shall not be used.

Under the 126 standards, a list of 301 food contact additives was published in April 2012 by the MoH. A second list of food contact additives may be published in March this year, according to the government.