National Standards Planned for Food-Packaging Extrusion-Coated Paper and Molded Pulp Tableware

Packaging is present almost everywhere, but food packaging carries a special duty because it touches food directly. To help it fulfill that safety role more effectively, relevant state authorities have announced that national standards will be created for two food-packaging paper segments: extrusion-coated paper and molded pulp tableware.

In food packaging, extrusion-coated paper refers to paper and paperboard made by coating one or both sides of a paper substrate with PE, PP, PET, or a film containing these three materials, then processing it into a form suitable for wrapping or holding food. Typical market products include low-basis-weight extrusion-coated paper for hamburgers and pastries; kraft-paper-based extrusion-coated paper for dried nuts such as sunflower seeds; and high-basis-weight extrusion-coated paper and paperboard used to make paper cups, paper bowls and paper lunch boxes.

Extrusion-coated paper for food packaging comes in many varieties and is used in large volumes, and it is a direct food-contact material. At present, China has no corresponding standard to regulate these products. The forthcoming national standard will set requirements for safety performance (hygiene indicators and raw materials) and physical properties (basis weight deviation, cross-direction thickness difference, film basis weight deviation, adhesion degree, grease resistance, leakage, dyne level and moisture at delivery), among other indicators.

Molded pulp tableware is paper tableware produced from pulp through forming, molding and drying. It includes molded paper cups, molded paper bowls, molded paper lunch boxes, molded paper plates and molded paper dishes. These items use virgin fiber pulp, offer greater strength than other similar products, have high recycling value and are degradable, so they are considered green and environmentally friendly. However, no national standard yet exists for molded paper tableware. To improve the standard system for paper tableware, the National Technical Committee for Papermaking Standardization will develop the national standard 'Pulp Molding Tableware.' It will specify safety performance (hygiene indicators and raw materials) and physical properties (dimensional deviation, capacity deviation, water leakage, temperature resistance, cup body stiffness, load-bearing performance, compression resistance, box lid folding test, drop test and moisture), among other indicators.

The National Technical Committee for Papermaking Standardization said that, to regulate the production of food-contact products and protect consumer safety, national standards will be formulated for food-packaging extrusion-coated paper and molded pulp tableware going forward.

Source: China Packaging Network (pack.cn); original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-361822.html