The national standard management of stainless products in general and food-grade safety is worrying
With the approach of “Stainless Steel Pipe Key Enterprise Forum for Food Industry”, “stainless steel” has become a hot industry term recently. It is understood that stainless steel has good corrosion resistance and is widely used in food-related products such as food containers, food production and operation tools, and equipment.
However, due to profit-driven, lack of technology, and other reasons, there is still no lack of unqualified stainless steel food equipment on the market in my country. Industry standards need to be standardized and policy implementation needs to be strengthened.
From food processing machineries such as beverage filling machines and packaging machines to household appliances such as induction cookers and soymilk machines, stainless products that are in direct contact with food are indispensable on the market. As the country gradually pays attention to food safety issues, the stainless steel industry has once again attracted the attention of relevant departments and ordinary people.
Market research: stainless steel products are mixed, and it is difficult to distinguish materials without professional technology
Previously, local media in Xiamen conducted unannounced visits to stainless steel food utensils in the urban area and found that many stainless steel containers sold in grocery stores are not expensive. The same is a stainless steel plate with a diameter of 17 cm. The grocery store sells for 7-10 yuan. , And the supermarket asks for 17 yuan. In the center of one of the plates, there is a label “Light of the East”, and the lower line of small characters is labeled “Jiaxin Hardware City”, and there is no text logo. The plate seems to be rough in workmanship.
I don’t know what material it is. The boss only answered that it was stainless steel, but the others were not clear.
Regarding RT-Mart and Wal-Mart, whether it is stainless steel tableware or containers such as thermos cups and electric kettles, although the prices are generally high, the outer packaging of the products will indicate the company’s name, address, specifications, and national standards to be followed.
Among them, many stainless steel products even directly affixed labels with the words “304”, “430”, and “food grade stainless steel” on prominent positions. The sales staff on the spot said, “Although these products are more expensive, many people are I bought it for this label.”
It is understood that at present, in addition to professional composition identification or product packaging instructions, it is difficult for consumers to visually judge what type of stainless steel material is used in a stainless steel product, and the easiest way is to go to a large supermarket to choose product information that is clear enough The product.
Departmental supervision: relevant state departments pay close attention to food grade stainless steel products
The quality of stainless steel products on the market is difficult to distinguish, and it is difficult for consumers to choose. The relevant regulatory authorities also need to take responsibility. As I know, since this year, many national departments have strengthened the testing of stainless steel products for food use to ensure consumer food safety. Not long ago, the Jiangsu Provincial Bureau of Quality Supervision issued a random inspection report on electric kettles and other small home appliances.
According to the report, 55.6% of stainless steel electric kettles are made of high-manganese steel among the products sampled. After long-term use, there is a risk of heavy metals leaching out. However, in addition to electric kettles, stainless steel is also one of the main materials for manufacturing tableware, induction cooker pots, thermos cups, and other products.
Since July 2016, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine has organized the national quality and technical supervision departments to carry out the “quality inspection sword” action of law enforcement and anti-counterfeiting of stainless steel products for food contact.
The focus of this law enforcement inspection is to check whether electric kettles, electric pressure cookers, rice cookers, and other electric food processing appliance manufacturers that implement compulsory certification products have obtained the “CCC” certification;
whether the product labeling is standardized, and whether the focus is on whether it is in accordance with “GB9684-2011 Food According to the requirements of the National Safety Standard for Stainless Steel Products, “food contact” and the type of stainless steel should be marked on the product or minimum sales package, and whether there is any illegal activity such as forging the origin of the product, forging or fraudulently using the name, address and quality mark of another person;
At the same time, it is necessary to understand the company’s raw material control situation, and focus on checking whether the stainless steel materials that do not meet the relevant national standards of our country are used and whether there are product quality frauds such as low-quality high-quality products, and substandard product quality;
focus on random inspections of lead, chromium, nickel, and cadmium Whether the elements such as arsenic, arsenic, etc. exceed the standard, and whether the electrical safety indicators such as the signs and instructions of electric food processing appliances, input power, and current, structure, internal wiring, power connection and external flexible cords and grounding measures meet the relevant national mandatory standards.
Standard formulation: “National Food Safety Standard Stainless Steel Products” has been implemented for more than four years
Why do people love and hate food utensils made of stainless steel?
It can be developed from the random inspection items and the results of the quality inspection department above. A very important reason is the migration of heavy metals. Under normal circumstances, stainless steel products do not constitute a food safety risk during the process of serving, cooking, or contacting food. When the heavy metal migration of stainless steel products exceeds the limit, it may endanger human health.
The relevant laws and regulations of the European Union and Germany stipulate the migration amount of harmful substances in stainless steel products. my country’s original “Stainless Steel Tableware Container Hygiene Standard” stipulated the migration amount of heavy metals in stainless steel.
It is understood that in 2007, the National Standards Committee agreed to establish a project to revise the “Sanitary Standards for Stainless Steel Tableware Containers” project number 20064047-Q-361, and the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration is responsible for the specific revision work.
In accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety Law and its implementation regulations, the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration formed a draft of the National Food Safety Standard for Stainless Steel Products on the basis of investigation and research, and soliciting opinions. The Ministry of Health approved and published the “National Food Safety Standard Stainless Steel Products” (GB9684-2011) on December 21, 2011.
The revision working group focused on the migration of chromium, nickel, cadmium, arsenic, and other heavy metals in different types of stainless steel, with the purpose of protecting human health, and based on the risk assessment report of an international authority, with reference to the relevant provisions of the German LFGB regulations The migration limit of heavy metals has been revised to strictly control food safety risks.
Editing extension: the development of the domestic food grade stainless steel industry still needs to be standardized
The national standard re-issued by the Ministry of Health-National Food Safety Standard Stainless Steel Products GB9684-2011 no longer lists models. Although the new national standard requires food-grade and stainless steel types to be marked on the smallest product packaging to protect consumers’ right to know, choose and supervise. But in fact, it is difficult for consumers to read effective information from it.
This means that for ordinary people, it is hard to distinguish what is food grade stainless steel. This is similar to the misunderstanding caused by the old national standard GB9684-1988 of the Ministry of Health. Previously, stainless steel products in my country involved safety issues, mainly manganese-containing stainless steel such as 201 and 202. 201 and 202 stainless steel are the lowest-end products in stainless steel because compared with nickel, manganese is much cheaper. 201,202 such chromium-nickel-manganese austenitic stainless steel is about half the price of 304 steel. 201 and 202 were developed to replace part of 304 stainless steel.
Compared with the 300 series, the 200 series products have obvious gaps in mechanical properties such as corrosion resistance and welding. In recent years, many enterprises in China have produced 200 series stainless steel in large quantities. For example, in some areas of Zhejiang and Fujian, 200 series products account for more than 70%. However, there is currently no unified standard for 200 series stainless steel in China, and serious problems such as chaotic management, unclear labeling, and shoddy products not only bring food safety questions but also cause pollution to stainless steel scrap and affect the recycling of scrap steel.
Food safety is related to people’s health and social stability, and stainless steel plays a pivotal role as a food contact material. In order to provide consumers with safe and reliable food grade stainless steel products, it is not enough to rely on legislation and establishing standards. The important thing is to supervise the implementation of relevant enterprises and establish a unified stainless steel product safety label so that illiterate people can easily identify it. , Is a good way to facilitate everyone to buy and regulate the market.