Food Contact Material Customs Clearance Testing: Professional Guide and Compliance Strategy

Why is customs clearance testing so important?

The core purpose of food contact material (FCM) customs clearance testing is to assess whether potential harmful substances (such as heavy metals, phthalates, bisphenol A) in the materials can migrate into food and harm human health. Major markets around the world are increasingly strict in their regulation of FCM: Chinese Market: According to China's GB 4806 series national standards (such as GB 4806.1 General Safety Requirements, GB 4806.7 Plastics Materials) and GB 9685-2016 Additive Use Standards, all products sold must comply with migration limit requirements. Test items include Overall Migration Level (OML ≤10 mg/dm²) and Specific Migration Level (SML, such as lead ≤1 mg/kg). During customs clearance, the customs will randomly inspect reports, and non-compliant products will be prohibited from circulation.

European Union Market: Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and Framework Regulation require materials to be non-toxic and harmless, with specific standards such as the 10/2011 regulation on bisphenol A prohibitions. Customs clearance requires a Compliance Declaration (DoC) and test report, and the European Union Customs (RAPEX system) has a zero tolerance policy for non-compliant products.

American Market: FDA's 21 CFR series (such as 177.1520 polyethylene, 175.300 coatings) are mandatory standards, with testing focusing on polymer additives and heavy metal migration. When importing, the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) requires a Letter of Guarantee or third-party report; non-compliance may lead to an import ban.

Other Markets: Japan's Food Sanitation Law, Australia's FSANZ standards, Canada's CCPSA, etc., also emphasize migration testing and label compliance. Common risks of customs clearance failure include: exceeding harmful substance limits (such as phthalates exceeding the EU's 0.01 mg/kg limit), missing labels (such as not marked 'for food contact'), or invalid reports. These issues can lead to delays of 1-3 months and economic losses of hundreds of thousands of yuan. Our customs clearance testing service advantages

As a CNAS-certified third-party testing organization, we provide one-stop FCM customs clearance testing solutions, covering the entire process from sample pre-inspection to report issuance.

Huabiao（GIG）Testing has an experienced technical team and advanced testing equipment to provide you with a complete Amazon TIC certification solution. It has passed CMA/CNAS qualification certification, ensuring accurate and reliable test data, and its test reports have national/international credibility. It helps customers manage risks and meet your product market requirements, assisting your products in selling globally.