In the field of childrens health and safety,new actions by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) have attracted global attention.The latest member of the ISO 8124 standard series - Part 12 focuses on the formulation of toy microbiological requirements,providing new guidelines for the microbiological safety of the toy industry.

I.Overview of ISO 8124-12 Standard

The ISO 8124 - 12 standard clarifies the microbiological standards for water - based materials in toys (such as pastes,putties,liquids or gels).This part also extends to toys containingingredients,as well as powders and similar substances intended for use in combination with water.The standard aims to determine the acceptable standards for the microbiological cleanliness and adequacy of preservation of these materials.

II.Background of Standard Formulation and International Differences

The ISO TC 181 working group made appropriate modifications based on the existing requirements in ASTM F963,taking into account the usage needs of different jurisdictions.Compared with the EUs toy microbiological reference standard Protocol No.2: Microbiological Safety of Toys Containing Aqueous Media,the ISO 8124-12 standard has some differences,but its core purpose is to ensure the safety of children using toys.

III.Response Measures of the Toy Industry

The customs has put forward three main suggestions to toy manufacturers,traders and relevant industry associations:

Pay close attention to international laws,regulations and requirements and make preparations in advance;

Strengthen production process control to ensure that every link of the product from raw materials to final storage meets safety standards;

Seek cooperation with qualified third - party testing platforms to improve product testing and R & D capabilities,so as to avoid recalls caused by excessive microorganisms.