{"id":10308,"date":"2025-12-03T08:30:22","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T05:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/?p=10308"},"modified":"2026-01-26T09:54:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T06:54:41","slug":"china-updates-food-contact-standards-silicone-rubber-amp-coatings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/china-updates-food-contact-standards-silicone-rubber-amp-coatings\/","title":{"rendered":"China Updates Food-Contact Standards: Silicone Rubber &#038; Coatings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On September 25, 2025, China\u2019s National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly released <a href=\"https:\/\/sppt.cfsa.net.cn:8086\/db?type=1&amp;guid=E7A8AF2A-6FA1-4DF4-A80F-E47FC2952D13\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><em>Announcement No. 6 of 2025<\/em><\/a>, establishing 32 new national food-safety standards and issuing two amendments. Among the most notable new standards for the packaging industry are GB 4806.16-2025 (Silicone Rubber Materials and Articles for Food Contact) and GB 4806.10-2025 (Paints and Coatings for Food Contact), both scheduled to take effect on September 2, 2026.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/china-updates-food-contact-standards-silicone-rubber-amp-coatings\/#Tailoring_Safety_Silicone_Rubber_Gets_Its_Own_Standard\" >Tailoring Safety: Silicone Rubber Gets Its Own Standard<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/china-updates-food-contact-standards-silicone-rubber-amp-coatings\/#Key_Technical_Changes_in_GB_480616-2025\" >Key Technical Changes in GB 4806.16-2025<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/china-updates-food-contact-standards-silicone-rubber-amp-coatings\/#Harmonization_with_Other_FCM_Standards\" >Harmonization with Other FCM Standards<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/china-updates-food-contact-standards-silicone-rubber-amp-coatings\/#Implications_for_the_Packaging_Industry\" >Implications for the Packaging Industry<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/china-updates-food-contact-standards-silicone-rubber-amp-coatings\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tailoring_Safety_Silicone_Rubber_Gets_Its_Own_Standard\"><\/span><strong>Tailoring Safety: Silicone Rubber Gets Its Own Standard<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Previously, silicone rubber fell under the broader rubber standard <strong>GB 4806.11-2016<\/strong>, but the new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.codeofchina.com\/standard\/GB4806.16-2025.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>GB 4806.16-2025<\/strong><\/a> creates a distinct regulatory category specifically for <strong>silicone-based food-contact materials<\/strong>. This change reflects the unique chemical, physical and safety characteristics of silicone rubber, particularly in migration behavior, volatility and their performance under heat, that justify more tailored control.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Technical_Changes_in_GB_480616-2025\"><\/span><strong>Key Technical Changes in GB 4806.16-2025<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the most significant updates in the standard is the addition of a <strong>volatile substances limit<\/strong>, capped at <strong>0.5 g per 100 g<\/strong>, with a test method defined in a newly added <strong>Appendix B<\/strong>. This addresses concerns about residual low-molecular-weight siloxanes or other volatile by-products migrating into food.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Base polymers used in silicone rubber must comply with a positive-list in <strong>Appendix A<\/strong>, and additives must conform to <strong>GB 9685<\/strong> as well as any relevant NHC\/SAMR announcements. Sensory criteria are also more rigorous, requiring both the material and migration-extract solutions to exhibit <strong>normal color and odor, without turbidity, precipitation, or off-odors.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Physicochemical performance metrics have been tightened as well. Total migration remains capped at <strong>10 mg\/dm\u00b2<\/strong>, but test conditions for potassium (K) permanganate consumption and lead (Pb) migration have been modified to <strong>60 \u00b0C for 2 hours<\/strong>, instead of the less stringent conditions under the previous standard. Moreover, <strong>specific migration limits (SML)<\/strong>,<strong> total migration limits (SML(T))<\/strong>, and <strong>maximum permitted quantities (QM)<\/strong> are explicitly defined for both base polymers and approved additives.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-10303\" src=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-Updates-Food-Contact-Standards-Silicone-Rubber-Coatings-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"China Update Food-Contact Standards Silicone Rubber &amp; Coatings GB 4806.16-2025\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-Updates-Food-Contact-Standards-Silicone-Rubber-Coatings-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-Updates-Food-Contact-Standards-Silicone-Rubber-Coatings-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-Updates-Food-Contact-Standards-Silicone-Rubber-Coatings-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-Updates-Food-Contact-Standards-Silicone-Rubber-Coatings-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/China-Updates-Food-Contact-Standards-Silicone-Rubber-Coatings-2048x1367.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Harmonization_with_Other_FCM_Standards\"><\/span><strong>Harmonization with Other FCM Standards<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">GB 4806.16-2025 aligns its migration-testing methodology with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.codeofchina.com\/standard\/GB31604.1-2023.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>GB 31604.1<\/strong><\/a> (National Food Safety Standard &#8211; General Rules for Migration Tests of Food Contact Materials and Articles) \u00a0and references <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.codeofchina.com\/standard\/GB5009.156-2016.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">GB 5009.156<\/a><\/strong>, ensuring consistency with other food-contact materials like plastics and coatings. Further, silicone rubber articles that contain coatings, inks, or adhesives must also satisfy the relevant national standards for those materials (for example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.codeofchina.com\/search\/default.html?page=1&amp;keyword=GB%204806.10-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>GB 4806.10-2025<\/strong><\/a>, also released under Announcement No. 6).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Implications_for_the_Packaging_Industry\"><\/span><strong>Implications for the Packaging Industry<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Companies should begin auditing their raw-material sources against Appendix A (positive list of substances), reviewing additive compliance with GB 9685, and redesigning quality-control workflows to include volatile-substance testing. For products that combine silicone with coatings, inks, or adhesives, alignment with GB 4806.10-2025 and other standards will be equally important.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">By tightening migration limits, adding a volatile matter requirement, and breaking out silicone into its own standard, Chinese authorities are targeting higher consumer safety and greater material accountability. For players in the food-contact packaging industry, the coming year will be critical for building compliance into every stage, from material sourcing to final testing, to ensure continuity of access to the Chinese market and alignment with the new regulatory frame.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On September 25, 2025, China\u2019s established 32 new national food-safety standards and issued two amendments (GB 4806.16-2025 and GB 4806.10-2025).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":10302,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,543,540],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10308","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","category-advocacy-enforcement-en","category-regulations-policy-en","category-28","category-543","category-540","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10308"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11515,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10308\/revisions\/11515"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}