Import & Export
LFGB vs FDA: Food-Contact Standards for Cookware Compared
Two standards dominate global cookware trade. Know which one your market demands - testing to the wrong one wastes thousands.
FDA (USA)
Regulates under 21 CFR. Sensory + extraction testing; well-established protocols. Stainless steel 304 passes straightforwardly with material declarations.
LFGB (Germany/EU)
§30/31 testing - generally stricter: broader migration testing, sensory panels, more substances screened. The EU’s de facto benchmark.
Head-to-head
- Strictness: LFGB > FDA
- Cost: LFGB €1,000-3,000/material; FDA testing often cheaper
- Acceptance: LFGB accepted nearly everywhere; FDA mainly US
- Strategy: test to LFGB once - it covers most markets’ expectations
Frequently asked questions
Which is stricter, LFGB or FDA?
LFGB - broader migration and sensory testing. Many exporters test to LFGB as the global gold standard.
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