ISO 8442-6:2000

Overview

ISO 8442-6:2000 specifies material, construction and performance requirements for lightly silver-plated table holloware protected by lacquer that comes into contact with food. It applies to items such as jugs, dishes, wine coolers, tea- and coffee-pots, trays and tureens made from metals (brass, copper, bronze, nickel‑silver, pewter and stainless steel) with a light silver plating and a lacquer coating. The standard excludes holloware made entirely of precious metals, ceramics, glass, non‑stainless steel or zinc‑based die cast.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Coating thickness and composition
  • Light silver plating defined as >0.3 µm and <5 µm; minimum average thickness 0.3 µm and minimum local thickness 0.2 µm.
  • Silver coatings shall have a minimum silver content of 98.5% Ag when determined per Annex B.
• Materials and composition
  • Specifies acceptable base metals and composition limits (brass, copper, nickel‑silver, pewter, stainless steels, etc.).
  • Any part contacting food must meet lead limits (see standard).
• Lacquer performance
  • Resistance to colouration and peeling (Annex A), scratching (Annex C) and ultraviolet radiation (Annex D).
• Mechanical performance
  • Strength and deformation tests: twisting of trays (Annex E), popping (Annex F), vessel load strength (Annex G).
  • Attachment strength and load-bearing attachments (Annex H), pouring performance (Annex I/J).
• Adhesion and thermal test
  • Adhesion of silver coating tested per EN ISO 8442‑2 (Annex E therein); provisions for large items include thermal cycling and quenching.
• Dishwasher safety (optional)
  • If labelled dishwasher‑safe, products must pass ENV 12875‑1 for 125 cycles and still meet lacquer and attachment requirements.
• Marking and labelling
  • Durable marking identifying manufacturer/supplier and the standard number; labelling at point of sale that the product meets this standard.

Applications and who uses it

• Manufacturers and finishers of silver‑plated and lacquered holloware for design, production and quality control.
• Test laboratories and conformity assessment bodies verifying coating thickness, silver purity, lacquer resistance and mechanical performance.
• Retailers, importers and purchasing/specification teams seeking compliance and product information for food‑contact tableware.
• Regulatory and product safety teams referencing harmonized requirements and relevant EEC Directives for food-contact materials.

Related standards

• ISO 8442 series (Parts 1–8) - other cutlery and holloware requirements
• EN ISO 8442-2:1997 - stainless steel and silver‑plated cutlery requirements
• EN ISO 2177 - measurement of metallic coating thickness (coulometric)
• ENV 12875-1 - mechanical dishwashing resistance (reference test)
• EN 10088-1 - list of stainless steels

Keywords: ISO 8442-6:2000, lightly silver-plated table holloware, lacquer, silver plating thickness, lacquer resistance testing, table holloware standards, food-contact cutlery.