Malaysia - New Safety Standards for Ceramic Kitchenware

Vol. 1529 | 25 Feb 2026

Malaysia updates ceramic ware regulations with new lead/cadmium limits, adding cooking ware category (≤0.5/0.05 mg/L) and testing four samples; effective August 1, 2026.

On January 30, 2026, The Ministry of Health Malaysia has announced updated the Food Regulation 1985 for ceramic ware to better protect consumers from heavy metal exposure. These changes, under the Food (Amendments) Regulations 2026, specifically target the amount of lead and cadmium that can be released from these items.

Key Changes

• New "Cooking ware" requirements: Cook ware is required to meet the requirements of lead and cadmium release.
• New definitions: "Cooking appliances" are now defined as any ceramic ware intended to be heated by conventional methods or microwaves.

Maximum permitted proportion of lead and cadmium release

To ensure safety, manufacturers must test at least 4 samples of a product. The amount of lead and cadmium released must stay below these levels:

Type of ceramic ware

Maximum permitted proportion criterion	Lead	Cadmium
Large hollowware	All specimens <= maximum permitted proportion	1.0 mg/l	0.25 mg/l
Small hollowware	All specimens <= maximum permitted proportion	2.0 mg/l	0.5 mg/l
Cooking ware	All specimens <= maximum permitted proportion	0.5 mg/l	0.05 mg/l
Flat ware	average <= maximum permitted proportion	0.8 mg/dm2	0.07 mg/dm2

Besides, the amendments include the requirements of natural mineral water and the standard for wholesome ice.

The amendments shall come into force on August 1, 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact: