Two sticks, approximately 20 centimeters long, with one end large and the other end small and thin,
Disposable chopsticks are divided into disposable wooden chopsticks and disposable bamboo chopsticks. Due to their lightweight, low cost, safety and hygiene, they are increasingly being used as the preferred food utensils in the catering industry. China produces about 7.5 billion pairs of bamboo chopsticks annually, exports 3 billion pairs, and its main markets are Taiwan and Japan.
Disposable bamboo chopsticks have essential differences in processing compared to disposable wooden chopsticks due to their high moisture content and susceptibility to spoilage. In order to ensure the freshness and beautiful appearance of bamboo chopsticks, some food additives such as food grade sulfur and food grade sodium metabisulfite are often used in processing. Excessive use of these additives can lead to excessive microbial and residual indicators in bamboo chopsticks, posing a threat to consumer health. Therefore, the hygiene of bamboo chopsticks has always been a focus of concern for consumers and importing countries.
The Hygiene Chopsticks Branch of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Food, Native Produce and Animal Husbandry aims to further strengthen the quality awareness of the bamboo chopstick industry, provide more targeted hygiene standards for various bamboo chopstick production and export enterprises, promote the development of foreign trade, protect consumer rights and health, and call for and formally apply for the formulation of mandatory national standards for bamboo chopsticks. In July 2003, the National Standardization Administration approved the joint responsibility of the Hygiene Chopsticks Branch and the Animal and Plant Quarantine Supervision Department of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to develop the national standard for disposable chopsticks and bamboo chopsticks.
Considering the strong professionalism and technicality of disposable bamboo chopsticks, the Hunan Entry Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau and the Hygiene Chopsticks Branch, which were responsible for drafting, extensively listened to the opinions of personnel from production and export enterprises, forestry systems, hygiene systems, and quality supervision systems, as well as other experts, and collected bamboo chopsticks samples from more than 40 enterprises nationwide; At the same time, a survey and research were conducted according to Japan's requirements for disposable chopsticks. Based on extensive solicitation of opinions from all parties, the national standard for bamboo sanitary chopsticks (draft for approval) was completed on April 8, 2005. On the 28th of the same month, the standard review meeting was held, and the attending experts and judges fully affirmed the practicality, scientificity, and effectiveness of the standard, which was successfully approved.
