Buyer guide 08
Food-Contact Gold Cake Boards: A Buyer’s Checklist
“Food grade” is not a complete specification. Buyers need to define the contact condition, destination market, materials and evidence required for the finished construction.
Final performance must be confirmed against the approved product specification, sample and intended use condition.
Define the intended contact
Tell the supplier whether food will touch the board directly, whether a cake card or liner is used, the expected contact time, temperature and whether fatty or moist foods are involved. These details determine which evidence is relevant.
Review the complete construction
Assess the decorated surface, inks or coatings, adhesive, core board, edge wrap and backing—not only the visible gold film. Ask the supplier to connect declarations or test reports to the exact material and product specification being purchased.
Check the destination-market requirement
Food-contact rules differ by market and intended use. The importer or brand owner should identify the applicable requirement and agree the required documentation before production. A factory audit or social assessment does not replace product-specific food-contact evidence.
Inspect production samples
Check for odour, visible contamination, loose foil or fibres, delamination, staining, warping and surface damage. For performance-critical uses, validate grease resistance, moisture exposure and handling under the intended conditions.
Understand FSC claims
FSC Chain of Custody concerns responsible forest-based sourcing; it is not a food-safety approval. Only products carrying the relevant FSC claim on sales and delivery documents are covered by that claim.
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