LFGB Test Requirements

In September 2005, Germany’s new LFGB (Lebens- und Futtermittelgesetzbuch) replaced the former LMBG (Lebensmittel- und Futtermittelgesetzbuches). Officially known as the Law on Food, Tobacco Products, Cosmetics and Other Daily Necessities, it serves as the most fundamental and pivotal legal document governing food hygiene in Germany, acting as the guiding principle and core framework for formulating all other special food hygiene laws and regulations. In recent years, it has undergone revisions primarily to align with European standards. The regulation establishes general and basic requirements covering all aspects of food in Germany; all food products and food-related daily necessities sold on the German market must comply with these essential provisions.

Significance of German Food-Grade lfgb certification

1. Risk of detention and inspection by customs authorities

2. Risk of investigation and punishment by market supervision agencies

3. Risk of allegations from competitors for competitive purposes

Scope of LFGB Tested Products

The covered product categories include: ceramics, synthetic plastics, polymers, plasticizers, paper products, leather, textiles, cosmetics, etc.

The specific products include:

①　Food-contact electrical appliances (e.g., toasters, sandwich makers, electric kettles)

②　Food storage utensils

③　Kitchenware (e.g., tempered glass cutting boards, stainless steel pots)

④　Tableware (e.g., bowls, spoons, cups and plates)

⑤　Daily articles (e.g., clothing, bedding, towels, wigs, false eyelashes, hats, diapers and other hygiene products, sleeping bags, shoes, gloves, watch straps, handbags, wallets, briefcases, chair upholstery materials)

⑥　Toys (textile or leather toys, and toys with textile or leather clothing components)

⑦　Directly used yarns and fabrics

⑧　Various cosmetics and personal care products

Other innovative process products:

①　Chrome plating on barbecue grills

②　Temperature resistance test of Teflon coatings on cooking pans

③　Testing of silicone sealing rings in kettles

German LFGB Certification Test Items and Requirements

1. Verification of raw materials and manufacturing processes

2. Sensory testing: Evaluation of taste and odor transfer

3. General plastic testing: Overall migration testing, specific substance migration testing, heavy metal content determination, color migration testing, primary aromatic amine (PAA) migration testing, heavy metal migration testing

4. PC (Polycarbonate) materials: General plastic testing items + specific migration testing (BISphenol A migration)

5. ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) materials: General plastic testing items + volatile organic compound (VOC) testing + butadiene and acrylonitrile migration testing

6. AS, PS, SAN, Acrylic plastics: General plastic testing items + volatile organic compound (VOC) testing

7. Polyamide materials: General plastic testing items + formaldehyde migration testing + specific migration testing (caprolactam migration)

8. Melamine plastics: General plastic testing items + melamine monomer migration testing + formaldehyde migration testing

9. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) materials: General plastic testing items + vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) content and migration testing

10. Non-stick organic coatings: General plastic testing items + formaldehyde migration testing + phenol migration testing + aromatic amine migration testing + hexavalent and trivalent chromium dissolution testing + PFOS and PFOA testing

11. Silicone materials: Migration extraction testing, organic volatile content testing, color migration testing, PAHs content and migration testing, lead and cadmium content testing

12. Metal materials: Composition verification, heavy metal extraction and release testing

13. Wood products: Pentachlorophenol (PCP) content testing, formaldehyde migration testing

14. Paper materials: Heavy metal extraction and release testing, formaldehyde extraction and release testing, fastness testing, fluorescent whitening agent migration testing, primary aromatic amine testing, antimicrobial component migration testing

Test Requirements by Material Type

LFGB Certification Process

1. The applicant provides product information and submits test samples.

2. Based on the submitted samples, professional product engineers conduct an evaluation to determine the required test items.

3. Sign the certification service contract.

4. Conduct sample testing in accordance with the applicable standards.

5. Issue the official test report.