China Keeps Maximum Lead Limit for Coffee Unchanged Until 2026
Beijing – Qahwa World
In its recently revised national food safety standard, China has maintained the maximum allowable limit for lead in both green and roasted coffee beans at 0.5 mg/kg, a level that will remain in effect when the new regulation comes into force in September 2026.
The decision is part of the broader “National Food Safety Standard on Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods (GB 2762-2025),” jointly released by China’s National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on September 25, 2025.
While the updated standard introduces several revisions—including adjustments to nitrite limits in packaged drinking water and the addition of new categories like edible bird’s nest—the lead threshold for coffee beans remains consistent with the previous 2022 standard. This provides continuity for international coffee exporters and domestic stakeholders who rely on the Chinese market.
The standard specifies that the lead limit applies to the edible part of the product. For coffee, this means the beans as consumed or processed, ensuring that safety assessments are based on what is ultimately ingested by consumers.
The finalized GB 2762-2025 will officially replace the current GB 2762-2022 on September 2, 2026, giving producers, exporters, and regulators over a year to adapt to the updated requirements.
Stakeholders are encouraged to review the full standard to assess its comprehensive impact on their operations. An unofficial English translation has been provided by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service in its recent GAIN report.
