Korea has strengthened its requirements for BPA and certain phthalates in food contact materials and articles (FCMs) for young children. These new standards will become effective on January 1, 2020.
In August 2018, Korea proposed to revise its standards for bisphenol A (BPA), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and di-butyl phthalate (DBP) in FCMs for young children (Safeguard 132/18).
In January 2019, the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) published Notification 2019-2 to amend its ‘Standards and Specifications for Food Utensils, Containers and Packages’. This Notification contains, inter alia, the following:
- Expanding the prohibition of BPA, BBP and DBP from baby bottles to food contact materials and articles for infants and young children
- Revising the specifications for polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) for the packaging of desiccants
- Revising the wording for recycled synthetic plastics
This Notice entered into force on January 9, 2019.
The provision to prohibit BPA, BBP and DBP in FCMs for infants and children will become effective on January 1, 2020.
A summary of the BPA, BBP and DBP prohibition is summarized in Table 1.
| Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) Notification 2019-2 of January 9, 2019, to amend ‘Standards and Specifications for Food Utensils, Containers and Packages’ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Substance | Scope | Requirement | Effective Date |
| BPA BBP DBP | Food contact materials and articles for infants and young children | Prohibited | January 1, 2020 |
Table 1
Next Step:
Stakeholders are advised to comply with the latest requirements for food contact materials and articles for the Korean market
SGS technical experts have extensive knowledge and testing experience in materials and articles in contact with food. They work to ensure that your products meet the appropriate regulations for food contact materials and pave the way for compliance. From overall migration test to expert advices on emerging regulations and compliance issues and documentation review, SGS is the partner to trust. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information or visit our website.
For enquiries, please contact:
Hingwo Tsang
Global Information and Innovation Manager
t: (+852) 2774 7420
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