which stainless steel is food grade

   The stainless steel grades used for tableware and kitchen utensils are 304, 316, 420, etc., because the tableware does not need strong resistance to stress and corrosion, and the use temperature will not be very high. For stainless steel, this is a very low temperature , so the materials used are actually very cheap and commonly used. Many people still don’t understand food-grade stainless steel. There are several types of food-grade stainless steel and what is the difference between it and 304 stainless steel.

Is 304 stainless steel the same as food grade 304 stainless steel?

    304 is a stainless steel brand, American name. Its Chinese brand name is 06Cr19Ni10 , which is very complicated 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? no the same! Food grade and brand belong to two systems, but they are inextricably linked. Just like a person can be both a man and a father - does a man have to be a father? uncertain.

    The same is true in the field of stainless steel. The grade determines the corrosion resistance of stainless steel. As for whether it is food grade, in addition to the requirements for the corrosion resistance of stainless steel, there are also requirements for the precipitation indicators of five heavy metals including lead, chromium, nickel, cadmium, and arsenic .

Later, it was discovered that stainless steel that can meet the heavy metal precipitation requirements can also meet the grade requirements. Therefore, in the national standard GB9684-2011 "National Standard for Food Safety Stainless Steel Products", the grade requirements are canceled, and only the precipitates of heavy metals are required (just another way of saying, in fact, it is similar to the requirements of the old national standard), so today's There is no requirement for the grade of stainless steel used in tableware, but at the same time, as long as it can reach food grade, it must be able to reach at least the level of 304 stainless steel.

Food-grade stainless steel mainly includes 304 stainless steel and 316 stainless steel

1. 304 stainless steel can resist corrosion and oxidation by chemical substances. The standard material of stainless steel pressure cookers is 304 or above.

2. 316 stainless steel is better, contains 10% nickel, is more corrosion-resistant, is widely used in medical applications, has no metal ion precipitation, and is very safe.

The difference between food grade 304 and SUS304 stainless steel

SUS304 refers to 304 stainless steel. SUS is a Japanese material standard, and 304 stainless steel is a grade of stainless steel produced in accordance with American ASTM standards. 304 is equivalent to my country's 06Cr19Ni10 stainless steel. Japan also quoted the name of the United States and called it: SUS304. SUS304 is not necessarily food grade stainless steel, it is just a Japanese brand mark.

A reminder for those of you who have only seen it from advertisements or promotional materials:

First, most of the claims in advertisements are not trustworthy, because most of the people who wrote them don’t understand. They may even have copied other companies’ advertisements directly from Baidu. This is true for many products sold online. Please carefully confirm the materials and materials used. certificate.

Second, the so-called "food grade", "aviation grade", "medical grade" or similar terms all have corresponding national standards. Just looking at the steel type does not determine whether it is "XX grade". For example, 304 stainless steel only represents this kind of steel. The performance of 304 stainless steel meets the national standard. Only 304 stainless steel that meets the national standard (GB 4806.9-2016 National Food Safety Standard for Food Contact Metal Materials and Products) is truly "food grade" stainless steel.

Third, even if the raw materials use real food-grade stainless steel, whether the final product can reach "food grade" still depends on the processing level and external materials. Only products that all meet national standards are safe "food-grade" stainless steel. products.

    In addition, the grades of 304 stainless steel should be distinguished, because the specific material composition and physical properties vary depending on the grade/origin/standard.

X5CrNi18-10——International standard (comparison table of stainless steel grades from various countries in the world)

304/S30400——American Standard (ASTM standard ASTM A312 stainless steel pipe Chinese version)

SUS304——Japanese standard (Japanese steel grade standard JIS G3459 stainless steel pipe)

06Cr19Ni10 - National Standard (GB/T 20878-2007 Stainless steel and heat-resistant steel grades and chemical composition)

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