Handling the certification process for ceramic bowls with the French DGCCRF
Date：2025-12-23 09:22:26 Classification
：【question】 Visits：
As the "safety passport" for food contact materials in France, the DGCCRF certification process involves meticulous control over details, which directly impacts the smooth customs clearance of products. Core processes and key points of the French DGCCRF certification for ceramic bowls are as follows:
1. Regulatory Basis and Testing Standards
Basic regulations:
It is necessary to meet both the EU EC 1935/2004 framework regulation and the local French DGCCRF 2004-64 and Décret no 92-631 standards, with France having stricter requirements for heavy metal leaching limits (such as lead leaching from the edge of the cup mouth being ≤0.8mg/dm²).
II. Mandatory testing items
| Category | Test Content
| Heavy metal leaching | Leaching amount of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and hexavalent chromium (Cr⁶⁺) (mandatory testing for glazed/coated products)
| Sensory properties | After simulated food contact, there is no migration of off-flavor, off-color, or off-odor
| Special parts | Areas such as the mouth of cups/bowls that come into direct contact with lips need to be tested separately for lead and cadmium leaching
III. Full process of certification processing (5-7 working days)
1. Choose a compliant institution
It is necessary to use a third-party laboratory recognized by the French DGCCRF (such as DZV, CNAS registration number: L8083) to avoid invalid reports caused by non-qualified institutions.
2. Preparation of materials and samples
Materials: product manual, material composition table, production process document, usage scenario description (such as whether it comes into contact with acidic foods).
Samples: 5-6 complete pieces (including representative samples with rims/rimmed bowls, covering all color/glaze variations).
3. Laboratory testing
Based on the standards: DGCCRF 2004-64 (General Requirements) + Décret no 92-631 (Ceramics Specific).
Test scenario: Simulate acidic (3% acetic acid), neutral, and oil-based food contact environments.
4. Report and certificate acquisition
After passing the test, the laboratory will issue a DGCCRF compliance report and a Declaration of Conformity (DoC). The report must include the testing method, comparison of limit values, and conclusions.
5. Labeling and file archiving
Label requirements: French labeling for material, production batch number, usage temperature limits, and warning phrases (such as "Avoid storing acidic foods").
Document retention: Test reports and technical documents must be archived for at least 5 years for random inspection by French regulatory authorities.
IV. Key precautions
Glaze compliance: Colored glazes containing excessive lead compounds are prohibited, and a safety declaration of coating components is required.
Common failure points: excessive lead and cadmium leaching from the edge of the cup, abnormal odor in sensory testing, and testing delays due to incomplete information.
Cost reference: Single product costs approximately ¥1000-2000 (subject to fluctuations based on testing items and sample quantity).
V. Compliance Suggestions
1. Pre-audit: Conduct compliance audits on glaze suppliers before production and request heavy metal testing reports.
2. Phased testing: The first batch of samples will undergo sample testing first. Once they pass the test, mass production will commence to reduce the risk of rework.
3. Choose localization services: Prioritize connecting with French accredited laboratories that have branches in China for higher communication efficiency.
Shen Gongwang Security: 44030602006947