NOM-225-SCFI Household Appliance Safety - Nonstick Coated Utensils for Cooking - Specifications and Test Methods

The standard “NOM-225-SCFI Safety of household appliances - Non-stick coated utensils for cooking - Requirements and test methods” published under the Official Mexican Standard (NOM) describes the minimum safety specifications and test methods for consumer safety for non-stick coated utensils in direct contact with food and utensils used for food preparation (cooking, frying and heating) marketed in the United Mexican States. The utensils in question may be made of the following base materials (substrates): aluminum, steel, stainless steel, iron, ceramics, glass and any material derived from them.

Non-stick coated accessories whose main function is not cooking, frying or heating are outside the scope of this standard.

For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions apply:

• Kitchenware is equipment used in the preparation of food in which the heat source is conduction, convection or radiation.
• Cooking or heating vessels are areas used in food preparation that transfer heat directly to the source through contact (conduction).
• Fryers are areas used to prepare food in edible oils or fats, transferring heat to the source through direct contact (conduction).
• Coated accessories are equipment such as shovels, spatulas, ladles and similar equipment that have a non-stick coating and are necessary to perform complementary functions such as mixing and separating during cooking.
• A tang is a diagonally projecting element from an edge or wall on circular tools, either fixed to the body of the tool or removable. Its purpose is to facilitate the carrying and handling of the tool during normal use.
• The substrate is the base material of the body of the container in which products for cooking, heating or frying are manufactured. It can be aluminum, steel, stainless steel, iron, ceramic, glass and any material with a non-stick coating derived from these and is manufactured in such a way that it does not contaminate or color the food.
• A non-stick coating is a film applied to a base material to facilitate removal and cleaning of foods prepared on it.
• Nominal capacity is the capacity calculated according to the design volumetric capacity declared by the manufacturer.
• Nominal diameter is the equal distance declared by the manufacturer according to the design dimensions.
• Actual capacity is the capacity obtained by filling a container with water up to the brim.
• The actual diameter is the diameter obtained under measurements.
• Cohesion is the adhesion strength of the non-stick coating to the base material.
• Non-stick is the property of a material that allows food to be easily removed from the container.
• Wear is the loss of coating due to use and cleaning.
• Flammability is the ability of substances to easily ignite and therefore produce flames.
• A self-extinguishing material is one whose combustion stops when separated from a flame or external heat source.

Non-stick coated cookware used in cooking is classified as follows, depending on the type of kitchenware:

• Pans (minimum depth of 3 cm, maximum depth of 10 cm)
• Other containers (depth less than 3 cm, depth more than 10 cm)

Non-stick kitchenware covered by this standard can be manufactured from a variety of base materials (substrates):

• All kinds of materials with non-stick coatings such as aluminum, steel, stainless steel, iron, ceramic, glass and their derivatives must be produced in a way that does not contaminate or color the food.
• Permission is granted if the steel has a porcelain coating or equivalent that complies with the specifications described in this standard.
• Tinplate, galvanized sheet steel, 55 percent aluminum-zinc coated sheet steel, or other materials that are incompatible with the end use of the containers or that may pose a risk to users should not be used as substrates.
• The use of steel sheets is permitted provided that the inside of the pot has a porcelain or equivalent coating coated with a non-stick coating.

For cookware with non-stick coatings, the manufacturer shall specify the nominal capacity or nominal diameter of the container. In the case of nominal capacity, a tolerance of minus 5 percent is allowed with respect to the volume specified by the manufacturer; in the case of nominal diameter, a tolerance of plus/minus 6 mm is allowed with respect to the volume specified by the manufacturer, when verified in accordance with this standard.

Knobs, handles and grips shall be made of a material that is resistant to normal operating conditions and shall be fixed to the lid of the container body by suitable means. In cast iron containers, knobs, handles and grips may be an integral part of the body and lid or may be removable. In containers of volume 5 L and below, the container shall be provided with a handle or a handle and a handle or two handles on the opposite side. In containers of volume greater than 5 L, the container shall be provided with a handle and a lid.

If the material of the handle and grip areas is flammable, it should self-extinguish within 30 seconds at most.

If the coating and substrate of nonstick cookware that may come into contact with food contains lead, cadmium, or both, they must meet the following parameters:

• The lead content in the coating and substrate must be a maximum of 0,05 percent.
• The cadmium content in the coating and substrate must be a maximum of 0,01 percent.

The behaviour of non-stick coatings on cookware against burning or drying out of food products such as carbonated milk and eggs must be determined.

The minimum average non-stick coating thickness of the containers shall be 15 micrometres (µm) and no more than three measurements from the bottom of the container shall be less than 15 micrometres (µm). This specification does not apply to porcelain products with non-stick coatings.

The non-stick coating must have the ability to adhere to the surface and the temperature of the handles and grips should not exceed 55 degrees.

Nonstick coated cookware must not show more than 35 percent coating loss when tested according to this standard.

The base material thickness of non-stick coated pots should not be less than the thickness declared by the manufacturer. This specification does not apply to non-stick coated porcelain products.

Our organization, which has been trying to support businesses from every sector with its testing, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies carried out in a wide range for years, has a strong staff that closely follows the developments in the world in the field of science and technology and constantly improves itself. In this context, testing services are also provided to businesses in accordance with the standard “NOM-225-SCFI Safety of household goods - Non-stick coated items for cooking - Specifications and test methods”.