KRAIBURG TPE, a global manufacturer of a wide range of thermoplastic elastomers products and custom solutions to multiple industries, underscores food-contact material safety, in line with China’s GB Standards (GuoBiao).

Contamination against hazardous substances present in food-contact materials, especially used in packaging and other food-contact finished products and equipment, is a major contention for regulatory bodies worldwide.

Regulations on food-contact materials are becoming more stringent as new findings emerge pertaining to the potential transferring or leaching of chemicals into the end product.

KRAIBURG TPE adheres to China's GB (GuoBiao) food-contact material safety standard.

Currently, chemicals that are introduced or are added in food-contact materials include additives such as perfluoroalkoxy alkanes (PFAs), plasticizers and phthalates. These may cause health risks, ranging from oncological conditions, autoimmune diseases, hormone disruptions to neurological impairment to end-users.

China has enforced product safety laws and policies that are continually updated, to heed the public’s rising concerns on product safety. The GB standards are the Chinese national standards issued by the Standardization Administration of China (SAC), which is the Chinese National Committee for ISO and IEC.

The GB standards are to ensure in making food-contact materials safe for applications in food containers, food packaging, kitchenware, utensils, equipment and accessories, amid rising public concerns on product safety.

As a global TPE manufacturer, KRAIBURG TPE serves as an intermediate materials manufacturer in the supply chain and adheres to the GB standards for food regulations, including the GB4806:2016. The company has also extended its expertise like customizing TPE solutions and recommending suitable TPE compound for the food-contact applications, in supporting customers in complying with the China GB standards.

Besides the GB standards, KRAIBURG TPE’s compounds comply with the global standards for food regulations such as the EU Directive 10/2011, the EN71/3 European safety standard for toys, as well as the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 21.

KRAIBURG TPE’s food-contact TPEs can be used in consumer food-contact applications such as bowl covers, ice trays, food container covers, wine cork gaskets, cutlery handles and grips.