FprEN ISO 8442-1

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 07-Mar-2027
• ICS: 67.250 - Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 194 - Utensils in contact with food
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 194/WG 4 - Cutlery and related items
• Current Stage: 4599 - Dispatch of FV draft to CMC - Finalization for Vote
• Start Date: 20-Oct-2026
• Completion Date: 20-Oct-2026
• Ref Project: kSIST FprEN ISO 8442-1:2026 - Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs - Cutlery and table holloware - Part 1: Requirements for cutlery for the preparation of food (ISO/FDIS 8442-1:2026)

• Consolidated By: ISO/FDIS 8442-1 - Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs — Cutlery and table holloware — Part 1: Requirements for cutlery for the preparation of food
• Effective Date: 12-Feb-2026
• Revises: EN ISO 8442-1:1997/AC:1999 - Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs - Cutlery and table hollowware - Part 1: Requirements for cutlery for the preparation of food (ISO 8442-1:1997)
• Effective Date: 19-Feb-2025
• Revises: EN ISO 8442-1:1997 - Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs - Cutlery and table holloware - Part 1: Requirements for cutlery for the preparation of food (ISO 8442-1:1997)
• Effective Date: 19-Feb-2025

FprEN ISO 8442-1 is a CEN and ISO standard for knives with metal blades used to prepare food. It specifies material requirements, performance requirements and test methods for food-preparation cutlery used in household or commercial kitchens and in slaughtering facilities.

What does FprEN ISO 8442-1 specify?

FprEN ISO 8442-1 sets requirements for the design, materials, durability and test methods for knives intended for food preparation. Clause 1 limits the standard to knives with metal blades and excludes hunting knives, pocket knives, razors, utility or tool knives, and ceramic knives.

The document is organized into clauses on scope, normative references, terms and definitions, testing conditions, length measurement, cutting edge types, materials, performance requirements, hygiene, and skin and food contact. It then gives five normative annexes with the detailed test methods.

Annex	What it covers
Annex A	Dropping test
Annex B	Lateral bending test
Annex C	Bending test in direction of use
Annex D	Pull and torsion test
Annex E	Immersion test

What are the key requirements of FprEN ISO 8442-1?

FprEN ISO 8442-1 focuses on measurable knife properties that affect safety, durability and food contact. The most important requirements are in Clauses 5 to 10 and in Annexes A to E.

Dimensions and edge types

Clause 5 defines how to measure total length and blade length, using tolerance class c from ISO 2768-1. This matters because the knife dimensions are part of the product description and are used in testing and comparison.

Clause 6 distinguishes smooth cutting edges from serrated cutting edges, and also describes concave and convex serrations. The standard treats these edge types differently in performance testing, so manufacturers need to identify the edge design correctly before testing.

Materials and regulatory compliance

Clause 7 requires blades to be made of metallic materials that ensure function and durability. It also links blade materials to national food-contact rules and handle materials to national skin-contact rules. In practice, a manufacturer must select materials not only for performance but also for legal suitability in the intended market.

Clause 10 repeats that the blade and the handle are checked against the national regulations that apply where the product is placed on the market. The blade is treated as the food-contact part, while the handle, including the bolster, is treated as the skin-contact part.

Performance of the knife body

Clause 8.1 defines a flexible blade, such as a filleting knife, by repeated bending without damage or excessive permanent deformation. This is important for knives that are expected to bend during use but still return to shape.

Clauses 8.3.1 to 8.3.4 cover resistance against dropping, lateral bending strength, bending strength in the direction of use, and firmness of the handle. These tests check whether the blade, handle and their connection stay safe and functional under impact and bending loads. Flexible blades are exempt from the two bending strength tests.

Sharpness, wear resistance and hardness

Clause 8.2 points to ISO 8442-5 for sharpness and wear resistance. The standard excludes serrated-edge knives from the wear-resistance test and gives acceptance criteria for smooth-edge knives.

Clause 8.4 sets minimum blade hardness values by material class and requires hardness testing by Vickers hardness test or Rockwell hardness test, with Vickers used in case of doubt. For coated steels, composite steels and partially hardened blades, the measurement is taken at the cutting-edge material in cross-section. This means the result must represent the part of the blade that actually does the cutting.

Dishwasher resistance, hidden defects and gaps

Clause 8.5 applies only when a knife is declared dishwasher resistant. It requires three samples of the same pattern, cleaning before testing, and testing according to EN 12875-1 with evaluation according to EN 12875-2. This gives a repeatable way to support a dishwasher-resistant claim.

Clause 8.6 requires an alternating immersion test for knives designated as stainless, rustproof or corrosion-resistant, or made of such material. The evaluation looks for cracks, overlaps, pits and corrosion-related interruptions of the cutting edge.

Clause 8.7 requires knives to be free from flaws, cracks and other damage on delivery, and limits gap dimensions, with a wider limit allowed for wooden handles. This is a practical acceptance check for workmanship and assembly quality.

What terms does FprEN ISO 8442-1 define?

• Knife - cutlery used for food preparation that is manually guided and normally has a cutting edge, with blade and handle as the two main parts.
• Blade - the thinner part of the knife used for cutting and intended to contact food.
• Handle - the thicker part used to hold the knife safely and not intended to contact food.
• Cutting edge - the sharpened part of the blade intended for cutting.
• Sharpness - a parameter reflecting the force needed to cut into a defined test material with a defined cutting movement.
• Wear resistance - resistance of the cutting edge to wear when cutting into an abrasive test material.
• Professional use - use by a professional in an economic activity, especially in the meat industry and also in hotels and restaurants.

Who uses FprEN ISO 8442-1?

FprEN ISO 8442-1 is used by knife manufacturers, material suppliers, test laboratories, quality managers, buyers and specifiers of kitchen equipment. It is especially relevant for products used in household kitchens, commercial kitchens, hotels, restaurants and slaughtering facilities.

It also matters to organizations that need to document food-contact suitability, skin-contact suitability, hardness, durability, dishwasher resistance or corrosion resistance. For buyers, the standard gives a common technical basis for comparing knife performance and acceptance claims.

What changed in FprEN ISO 8442-1 from the previous edition?

This edition replaces ISO 8442-1:1997 and the foreword says it has been technically revised. The changes stated in the document are:

• new dimensions for total length and blade length in Clause 5,
• deletion of the table of materials,
• deletion of the tang and bolster corrosion test,
• revision of the general corrosion test in Annex E,
• revision of the bending test in Annex B,
• introduction of the bending test in direction of use in Annex C,
• introduction of minimum hardness values for blades by material class,
• deletion of former 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 7.1 and 7.2.

Which standards are used with FprEN ISO 8442-1?

• ISO 2768-1 - provides the general tolerances used for the length measurements in Clause 5.
• ISO 6507-1 - gives the Vickers hardness test used for blade hardness measurement.
• ISO 6508-1 - gives the Rockwell hardness test used as an alternative hardness method.
• ISO 6769:2022 - provides the Mohs hardness reference used to prepare the drop-test tile in Annex A.
• ISO 8442-5 - provides the sharpness and edge-retention test and the wear-resistance method referenced in Clause 8.2.
• ISO 18265 - gives hardness conversion rules when hardness values need to be compared across methods.
• EN 10020 - defines and classifies steel grades used in the hardness and material discussion.
• EN 12875-1 - gives the mechanical dishwashing resistance test method used for dishwasher-resistant claims.
• EN 12875-2 - gives the inspection method used to evaluate the dishwasher test results.

What does the FprEN ISO 8442-1 document contain?

The document includes figures that show knife parts, length measurement, cutting edge types and the set-ups for the bending and corrosion tests. It also includes tables for length-related tolerances, bending forces, hardness requirements and pull/torsion loading.

Annexes A to E provide the practical test procedures for dropping, bending, pulling, torsion and immersion, including preparation, test equipment and evaluation rules. These annexes are the parts most likely to be used in product testing, qualification and conformity assessment.

The main clauses also describe how to judge flexible blades, serrated and smooth edges, dishwasher resistance, hidden defects, gap dimensions, hygiene and contact with food and skin. In practice, the document is a combined specification and test-method standard for verifying whether a food-preparation knife meets the required material and performance profile.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026
01-marec-2026
Materiali in predmeti v stiku z živili - Pribor in namizna posoda - 1. del: Zahteve za
pribor za pripravljanje živila (ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025)
Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs - Cutlery and table holloware - Part 1:
Requirements for cutlery for the preparation of food (ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025)
Werkstoffe und Gegenstände in Kontakt mit Lebensmitteln - Schneidwaren und
Tafelgeräte - Teil 1: Anforderungen für Schneidwaren zur Zubereitung von Speisen
(ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025)
Matériaux et objets en contact avec les denrées alimentaires - Coutellerie et orfèvrerie
de table - Partie 1: Exigences relatives à la coutellerie utilisée pour la préparation des
denrées alimentaires (ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN ISO 8442-1
ICS:
67.250 Materiali in predmeti v stiku z Materials and articles in
živili contact with foodstuffs
97.040.60 Kuhinjska posoda, jedilni Cookware, cutlery and
servisi in jedilni pribor flatware
oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026
oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026
DRAFT
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 8442-1
ISO/TC 186
Materials and articles in contact
Secretariat: SAC
with foodstuffs — Cutlery and table
Voting begins on:
holloware —
2025-12-30
Part 1:
Voting terminates on:
2026-03-24
Requirements for cutlery for the
preparation of food
Matériaux et objets en contact avec les denrées alimentaires —
Coutellerie et orfèvrerie de table —
Partie 1: Exigences relatives à la coutellerie utilisée pour la
préparation des denrées alimentaires
ICS: 67.250; 97.040.60
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
ISO/CEN PARALLEL PROCESSING
BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
Reference number
ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025(en)
oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026
DRAFT
ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025(en)
International
Standard
ISO/DIS 8442-1
ISO/TC 186
Materials and articles in contact
Secretariat: SAC
with foodstuffs — Cutlery and table
Voting begins on:
holloware —
Part 1:
Voting terminates on:
Requirements for cutlery for the
preparation of food
Matériaux et objets en contact avec les denrées alimentaires —
Coutellerie et orfèvrerie de table —
Partie 1: Exigences relatives à la coutellerie utilisée pour la
préparation des denrées alimentaires
ICS: 67.250; 97.040.60
THIS DOCUMENT IS A DRAFT CIRCULATED
FOR COMMENTS AND APPROVAL. IT
IS THEREFORE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
AND MAY NOT BE REFERRED TO AS AN
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNTIL
PUBLISHED AS SUCH.
This document is circulated as received from the committee secretariat.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL,
© ISO 2025
TECHNOLOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND
USER PURPOSES, DRAFT INTERNATIONAL
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
STANDARDS MAY ON OCCASION HAVE TO
ISO/CEN PARALLEL PROCESSING
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
POTENTIAL TO BECOME STANDARDS TO
WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
NATIONAL REGULATIONS.
ISO copyright office
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
TO SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS,
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
NOTIFICATION OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT
Phone: [phone]
RIGHTS OF WHICH THEY ARE AWARE AND TO
PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland Reference number
ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025(en)
ii
oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026
ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 General conditions for testing . 4
5 Measurement of lengths . 4
5.1 General .4
5.2 Total length .5
5.3 Blade length . .5
6 Cutting edge types . 6
6.1 Smooth cutting edges .6
6.2 Serrated cutting edges .6
7 Materials . 6
7.1 Blades .6
7.2 Handles .6
8 Performance requirements . . 7
8.1 Flexible blade .7
8.2 Sharpness and wear resistance .7
8.2.1 Sharpness . . .7
8.2.2 Wear resistance .7
8.3 Resistance of blade and handle .7
8.3.1 Resistance against dropping .7
8.3.2 Lateral bending strength .8
8.3.3 Bending strength in the direction of use .8
8.3.4 Firmness of the handle .8
8.4 Hardness .8
8.5 Dishwasher resistance .9
8.5.1 General .9
8.5.2 Procedure .9
8.5.3 Evaluation . .9
8.6 Exclusion of hidden defects .9
8.6.1 General .9
8.6.2 Evaluation .10
8.7 Gap dimensions and cracks .10
9 Hygiene . .10
10 Skin and food contact . 10
Annex A (normative) Dropping test .11
Annex B (normative) Lateral bending test .12
Annex C (normative) Bending test in direction of use . 14
Annex D (normative) Pull and torsion test .15
Annex E (normative) Immersion test . . 17

iii
oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026
ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely
with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any patent
rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on the ISO list of
patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity assessment,
as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 186, Cutlery and table and decorative metal
hollow-ware, in collaboration with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee
CEN/TC 194, Utensils in contact with food, in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation
between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 8442-1:1997), which has been technically
revised.
The standard has been completely revised. The main changes compared to the previous edition are as
follows:
— New dimensions (total length, blade length) have been defined (see Clause 5),
— The table of materials has been deleted,
— The tang and bolster corrosion test have been deleted,
— The general corrosion test has been revised (see Annex E),
— The bending test has been revised (see Annex B),
— The bending test in direction of use has been introduced (see Annex C),
— Minimum hardness values for blades by material classes has been introduced (see Table 2),
— 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 7.1 and 7.2 have been deleted.
A list of all parts in the ISO 8442 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found atwww.iso.org/members.html.

iv
oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026
DRAFT International Standard ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025(en)
Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs — Cutlery
and table holloware —
Part 1:
Requirements for cutlery for the preparation of food
1 Scope
This document specifies material and performance requirements and test methods for knives with metal
blades intended for use in the preparation of food in household or commercial kitchens as well as in
slaughtering facilities.
This document does not apply for hunting knives, pocket knives, razors, utility or tool knives (with
trapezoidal blade for cutting carpets etc.).
This document does not apply for ceramic knifes, which are covered by ISO 8442-9.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 2768-1, General tolerances — Part 1: Tolerances for linear and angular dimensions without individual
tolerance indications
ISO 6507-1, Metallic materials — Vickers hardness test — Part 1: Test method
ISO 6508-1, Metallic materials — Rockwell hardness test — Part 1: Test method (scales A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, N, T)
ISO 6769:2022, Vitreous and porcelain enamels — Determination of surface scratch hardness according to the
Mohs scale
ISO 8442-5, Materials and articles in contact with foodstuffs — Cutlery and table holloware — Part 5:
Specification for sharpness and edge retention test of cutlery
ISO 18265, Metallic materials — Conversion of hardness values
EN 10020, Definition and classification of grades of steel
EN 12875-1, Mechanical dishwashing resistance of utensils - Part 1: Reference test method for domestic articles
EN 12875-2, Mechanical dishwashing resistance of utensils - Part 2: Inspection of non-metallic articles
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http:// www .iso .org/ obp

oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026
ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025(en)
3.1
knife
cutlery used for the preparation of food, manually guided and in general having a cutting edge; the two
major components of a knife are blade and handle
a) Complex knife
oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026
ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025(en)
b) Simple knife
Key
1 tip of the blade
2 cutting edge
3 back of the blade
4 choil
5 bolster
6 tang
7 rivet
8 blade
9 handle
Figure 1 — Examples for knives with designation of knife parts
Note 1 to entry: The bolster is considered as part of the handle.
Note 2 to entry: See Figure 1 for examples of a complex and a simple knife.
3.2
design structure
3.2.1
blade
thinner part of the knife used for cutting and intended to come into contact with food
3.2.2
handle
thicker part of the knife used for holding the knife safely and not intended to come into contact with food
Note 1 to entry: The bolster is considered as part of the handle.

oSIST prEN ISO 8442-1:2026
ISO/DIS 8442-1:2025(en)
3.2.3
cutting edge
sharpened part of the blade intended for cutting
Note 1 to entry: The cutting edge starts at the bottom of the blade and ends at the tip of the blade. The back of the blade
is located on the opposite side of the cutting edge.
3.3
sharpness
parameter, which reflects the force needed to cut into a defined test material with a defined cutting
movement
3.4
wear resistance
resistance of the cutting edge against wear, tested by cutting into an abrasive test material
3.5
professional use
use of a knife done by a professional in an economic activity
Note 1 to entry: In contrast to the domestic or private use, professional use of knives occurs mainly in the meat
industry (slaughterhouses, butchers, etc.) but also includes kitchens of hotels and restaurants, etc.
Note 2 to entry: Professional use in the context of this document focuses in a normal situation for the knife, where
a sterilization is applied on a regular basis. The sterilization is often performed with boiling water or hot steam. It
cannot be excluded that the knives are used with appropriate gloves immediately after sterilization.
4 General conditions for testing
Unless otherwise specified, the tests shall be carried out at an ambient temperature of (23 ± 5) °C.
5 Measurement of lengths
5.1 General
Three dimensions for knives are defined in this document. Tolerance class c (very coarse)
...