Introduction
McDonald’s, as a major global food chain, is not only famous for its burgers and French fries but also for its iconic gifts and toys that come with Happy Meals. Recently, McDonald’s announced a limited edition of new collectible cups, available starting August 13, 2024 in 30 countries (it’s not officially disclosed which 30 countries, please check with your local McDonald’s). This new set includes six varieties. Fans will receive one of the six cups on a “what you get is what it is” basis when they purchase the newly launched McDonald’s Collector’s Meal. These cups are available all day, from breakfast to dinner. (Information from McDonald’s official site)
The six collector cups feature designs from:
- McDonald’s
- Coca-Cola
- Hello Kitty & Peanuts
- Beanie Babies
- Barbie & Hot Wheels
- Shrek, Jurassic Park & Minions
Meanwhile, McDonald’s fans in Australia, Canada, and Portugal will have the chance to get special embossed glasses.
In this section, I’ll walk you through the quality inspection and product safety requirements for food contact items.
Quality Inspection Process
Before shipping products to their destination countries, brand owners typically conduct pre-shipment inspections to ensure product quality meets expectations. During the inspection, inspectors use sampling methods and the Acceptable Quality Limit (AQL) according to MIL-STD-105E to check a representative sample volume for mass production quality. For more details, you can use the free AQL calculator on this site.
The QC inspector will check the workmanship of the cups to ensure the appearance and printing are free from scratches, impurities, dirt marks, misprints, etc. They also test for water leakage for at least 2 hours and place the cups on a flat surface to observe their stability under loaded and unloaded conditions. A thermal shock test is also done by placing the cup in 212°F hot water and then in cold water. To check the printing, inspectors use 3M tape on the printing surface, rub it for 30 seconds, and then remove it to see if any prints adhere to the tape. This is known as the coating adhesion test.
All these tests ensure that consumers receive a high-quality product, which is crucial for maintaining brand image.
Material and Safety Compliance
According to official news from McDonald’s, the collector cups are made from embossed glass or Tritan plastic. Tritan plastic is a safe material made without using any bisphenols (BPA) or phthalates, which many countries have banned due to their carcinogenic properties. Tritan is chosen for its food-safe properties, glass-like clarity, and high strength compared to glass.
There are food contact material safety regulations in many countries, including the EU and the USA. All food contact containers, bottles, kitchenware, or cups must be tested to prove compliance. In the EU, cups are tested against Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004, Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, and its amendments (EU) 2023/1442 and (EU) 2018/213 for plastic materials. This involves checking the overall migration and specific migration of heavy metals and aromatic amines after conditioning, i.e., whether these harmful chemicals are detected under certain temperature and acidic/alkaline conditions. In the USA, food contact materials made from Tritan plastic must be tested against US FDA 21 CFR 177.2420.
The importer or brand owner is responsible for ensuring that products placed on the market meet regulatory requirements and are not harmful to the environment. If you need any advice, feel free to ask me.
About the author
I’m Hazel Kwong, a manufacturing and quality expert who has worked in Shanghai, mainland China, Malaysia and now Hong Kong. Through KOL Quality I share practical advice so buyers can make products in Asia with confidence, and I always stand on the buyer’s side. For more quality and compliance tips, follow KOL Quality on Instagram and Facebook, or connect with me on LinkedIn.
A note from Hazel: Promotional and collectible items still need full food-contact testing. Popularity doesn’t excuse a missing test report. If you have a question about your own product or supplier, feel free to ask me.