Is 304 stainless steel the same as food grade 304 stainless steel? Which is better, 304 or 316 stainless steel?
Release time:
2023-05-06 17:23
When purchasing stainless steel tableware, you often see the word "304 stainless steel". Some businesses say that "304 stainless steel is food grade stainless steel", while others say that "316 stainless steel is better than 304 stainless steel", so what are these messy numbers? What does it have to do with "food grade"?
Is 304 stainless steel the same as food grade 304 stainless steel?
304 is a grade of stainless steel, an American name. Its Chinese brand name is 06Cr19Ni10, which is very complex and difficult to read, so we are more accustomed to calling it "304 stainless steel".
Is 304 stainless steel the same as food grade 304 stainless steel? dissimilarity! Food grade and brand belong to two systems, but there are countless connections. Just like a person who can be both a man and a father - must a man be a father? not always.
The same applies to the field of stainless steel, where the grade determines the corrosion resistance of stainless steel. Whether it is food grade or not requires not only the corrosion resistance of stainless steel, but also the precipitation indicators of five heavy metals: lead, chromium, nickel, cadmium, and arsenic.
In the old national standard GB9684-1988 "Hygienic Standard for Stainless Steel Tableware", it was required that the stainless steel used in tableware must meet two conditions at the same time: firstly, the corrosion resistance must meet the standard (specifying the brand standard); Secondly, the precipitation indicators of the five heavy metals must meet the standards.
Later, it was found that stainless steel that could meet the requirements for heavy metal precipitation could meet the requirements of the grade. So in the new national standard GB9684-2011 "National Food Safety Standard for Stainless Steel Products", the grade requirement has been abolished, only requiring the precipitation of heavy metals (but in a different way, it is actually similar to the requirements of the old national standard) - so the stainless steel used in today's tableware does not have any requirements for the grade; But at the same time, as long as it can reach food grade, it will definitely reach the level of at least 304 stainless steel.
So now let's take a look at this question: Is 304 stainless steel the same as food grade 304 stainless steel? Of course it's different, food grade 304 stainless steel is 304 stainless steel that meets the standards for heavy metal precipitation; However, ordinary 304 stainless steel has not undergone GB9684 testing.
When choosing tableware (in fact, "tableware" is not very standard, it should be "stainless steel in contact with food"), we should mainly look at whether there is the word "GB9684" on its packaging. Only products that have been tested can we purchase with confidence.
By the way, some stainless steel products will have a steel seal with the word "food grade 304" printed on them. In fact, with a little thought, we can tell that "304" itself is not a Chinese name. How could this steel seal be an authoritative certification mark?
So whether or not there is this steel stamp, we should not judge the quality of stainless steel in sequence. The same sentence, look at the "GB9684" logo, it's the most reliable.
Which is better, 304 or 316 stainless steel?
316 is also a brand of stainless steel, and its Chinese name is "18Cr12Ni2.5Mo". Since it is a brand, it is related to its corrosion resistance.
Compared to 304 stainless steel, 316 stainless steel has stronger corrosion resistance. In other words, if the heavy metal precipitation of 316 stainless steel meets the standard, its standard for food contact stainless steel is higher than that required by the national standard.
In practical use, 304 stainless steel may still be corroded when encountering carbonated beverages, milk, and other foods. But if it is 316 stainless steel, there is no such concern at all.
Finally, the same sentence: 316 stainless steel and food grade 316 stainless steel are not the same thing, just increasing their corrosion resistance is not enough, and more importantly, it depends on whether they have undergone GB9684 testing.
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