China releases draft revision of national standard for food contact material additives 
On July 3, 2025, the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment released a draft revision of the mandatory national standard “Standard for the Use of Additives in Food Contact Materials and Articles” (GB 9865). This standard specifies the types of additives permitted for use in food contact materials and articles, along with their maximum usage levels. The draft revision updates Annex A, which outlines permitted additives and usage requirements. It removes 13 high-risk or discontinued substances from the approved list, adds 8 regenerated cellulose materials, revises specific migration limits and metal migration thresholds, and introduces new safety requirements for colorants.
Removal of 13 high-risk or discontinued additives
Based on risk assessments and industry surveys, 13 substances identified as high-risk or already phased out have been removed from the approved list. These include DEHP (CAS No. 117-81-7) and Nonylphenol Polyoxyethylene Ammonium Sulfate (CAS No. 9051-57-4), among others.
Addition of 8 Regenerated Cellulose Materials
| Name | CAS Registry Number | Scope of Use and Maximum Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Propylene Glycol | 57-55-6 | Use as needed for production |
| C.I. Pigment Black 7 (Carbon Black) | 1333-86-4 | |
| White Mineral Oil | 8042-47-5 | |
| Sodium Hypochlorite | 7681-52-9 | |
| Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Monooleate (Polysorbate-80) | 9005-65-6 | |
| Sulfuric Acid | 7664-93-9 | |
| Sodium Hydroxide | 1310-73-2 | |
| Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulfonate | 25155-30-0 |
Revision of limits for 6 substances
The draft revision updates the specific migration limits (SML) for six substances. The table below shows the revised limits for three of them:
| Substance Name | Current GB Limit | Revised Draft Limit |
|---|---|---|
| 4,4'-Dihydroxy-diphenylpropane (Bisphenol A) | 0.6 mg/kg (SML) | 0.05 mg/kg (SML) |
| Tris(2-ethylhexyl) 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylate | 0.05 mg/kg (SML) | 1 mg/kg (SML) |
| 2-4,6-bis(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl-5-(octyloxy)-Phenol | 0.05 mg/kg (SML) | 5 mg/kg (SML) |
Other Revisions
In addition to the above, the draft revision also updates specific overall migration limits and metal migration thresholds and introduces new safety requirements for colorants.
The original text of the draft mandatory standard is available at:
http://cppia.com.cn/front/article/23245/1
