中国出台进出口食品包装新规

食品包装安全卫生已受到越来越广泛的重视。2005年1至10月,欧盟向我国通报了54起食品包装及接触材料的安全卫生问题。2005年7月1日,欧委会健康和消费者保护总司司长马德林专门就我国出口欧盟与食品接触材料频繁被检出安全卫生问题致函我国驻欧盟大使,提出如果中方不在7月底前采取有效措施,将对中国的此类产品采取进一步措施。食品包装及接触材料已经成为发达国家设立技术壁垒的新领域。近年来,欧盟、美国、日本等对直接与食品接触的包装及包装材料都制定了详细的法规。如FDA长期以来遵循的美国联邦法规,详细规定了各种与食品直接或间接接触的包装材料及其中所使用的各项物质的要求。欧盟在2004年新拟定的草案“食品接触物质超级指令”则进一步综合了过去所有与食品接触物质相关的旧法规,使其成为欧盟对食品包装材料最主要而且最具影响力的新法规。

China's New Rules on Packaging of Import and Export Food Products

To raise the standards in safety, hygiene,health and environmental protec- tion in the packaging of import and export food products,the State Administration of Quality Supervision,Inspection and Quar- antine (AQSIQ) requires that with effect from 1 August 2006,safety and hygiene in- spections are to be conducted by inspection and quarantine authorities on packaging in direct contact with food products,packag- ing of food products for sale,packaging for transport of food products and packaging materials. It is learned that the latest measure will cover the inspection and monitoring of such activities as production,processing,storage and sale of packaging materials for export food products.Mandatory inspections on the packaging of export food products will be conducted based on the importing country's technical standards on safety and hygiene. If the importing country does not have any specific requirements,China's technical standards will apply.On the packaging of imported food products,mandatory inspec- tions will be carried out based on China's technical standards.Only upon passing such inspections can the packaging materials be used for packaging and containing food. While the new rules are expected to raise the quality of import and export food products,they will affect packaging enter- prises in terms of material sourcing,produc- tion control,quality control and export declaration.In view of this,inspection and quarantine authorities remind export food production enterprises to take the some actions.Meanwhile,suppliers of import packaging materials must get prepared for filing of records in accordance with relevant circulars to be issued later.They should also be ready to present inspection certificates on their packaging materials.