Stainless steel is a widely used metal material, which has excellent corrosion resistance, mechanical properties and processing properties. There are many types of stainless steel, which can be divided into austenitic type, ferritic type, martensitic type, duplex type, etc., according to the different chemical composition and microstructure. Different types of stainless steel have different properties and uses, among them, austenitic stainless steel is the most common one, and its representative grade is 304 stainless steel.
304 stainless steel is a grade of stainless steel produced in accordance with the American ASTM standard, its Chinese brand name is 06cr19ni10, indicating that its main chemical composition is chromium (cr) 18%-20%, nickel (ni) 8%-10%, carbon (c) no more than 008%。304 stainless steel has good corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, processability and weldability, and is widely used in food processing, chemical industry, medical treatment, construction, decoration and other fields.
So, is 304 stainless steel food grade stainless steel? The answer is no. Food-grade stainless steel refers to meeting the national mandatory standard GB48069-2016 "National Food Safety Standard Metal Materials and Products for Food Contact". This standard stipulates the migration limit of heavy metals for stainless steel used in food contact, that is, stainless steel will not release harmful elements that exceed the specified limit, such as arsenic (AS), cadmium (CD), lead (PB), chromium (CR), nickel (Ni), etc., under the condition of food contact. If these elements enter the human body in excess, they will cause harm to the human body and affect health.
Food-grade stainless steel not only requires the chemical composition to meet the standard, but also requires the manufacturing process to meet the standard, including the selection of raw materials, processing technology, surface treatment, cleaning methods, etc. Only stainless steel that has been tested and proved to meet national standards can be called food-grade stainless steel and can be safely used in utensils and equipment that come into contact with food.
Therefore, the difference between food grade stainless steel and 304 stainless steel is:
Food grade stainless steel is a type of stainless steel that meets national standards, while 304 stainless steel is a grade of stainless steel that meets American standards.
Food-grade stainless steel requires heavy metal migration limits to meet standards, while 304 stainless steel only requires chemical composition to meet standards.
Food-grade stainless steel requires the manufacturing process to meet standards, while 304 stainless steel only requires the product to meet standards.
Of course, this is not to say that 304 stainless steel cannot be used for food contact, as long as it has been tested and proven to meet national standards, it can also be considered food grade stainless steel. In fact, 304 stainless steel is the most commonly used food-grade stainless steel, because its performance and ** are more suitable for the requirements of food processing. However, there are also some counterfeit and shoddy 304 stainless steel on the market, which are not up to standard in terms of chemical composition and manufacturing process, and may release harmful elements and cause harm to the human body. Therefore, when consumers buy stainless steel tableware, kitchenware and other products, they should pay attention to check whether there is "GB48069-2016", as well as the quality certificate and test report of the product to ensure the safety and quality of the product.