Safety Of Clays And Glazes For Wares Containing Food Or Liquids
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We are often asked 'is this clay or glaze safe for use with food?'
Unfortunately, it is not an easy question to answer as there are many things to consider.
There are potential hazards with clays, and there can be toxic materials in a glaze.
Clays can have an open and porous structure, so an unglazed surface can be prone to bacterial contamination. Foods and liquids which are acidic can breakdown a glaze surface releasing or leaching dangerous chemicals.
The day-to-day use should also be considered. Glazed wares need to be able to survive the dishwasher, the microwave and the rough and tumble of stacking and scratching with knives and forks.
The above creates so many variables, which is why all suppliers would find it impossible to say whether a certain clay or glaze is food safe, and much depends on the producer and how it is done. For this reason, it is up to the maker of pottery to make their wares as safe as possible.
We at Hot Clay will provide as much information as possible with each product, but if you intend to make ceramic dinnerware with selling in mind, then you would be best advised to get your wares tested.
See link - https://www.lucideon.com/testing-characterization/ceramic-testing-analysis
For great advice on clay, glaze and food safety in ceramics, we recommend:
https://digitalfire.com/article/are+your+glazes+food+safe+or+are+they+leachable%3F
Unfortunately, it is not an easy question to answer as there are many things to consider.
There are potential hazards with clays, and there can be toxic materials in a glaze.
Clays can have an open and porous structure, so an unglazed surface can be prone to bacterial contamination. Foods and liquids which are acidic can breakdown a glaze surface releasing or leaching dangerous chemicals.
The day-to-day use should also be considered. Glazed wares need to be able to survive the dishwasher, the microwave and the rough and tumble of stacking and scratching with knives and forks.
The above creates so many variables, which is why all suppliers would find it impossible to say whether a certain clay or glaze is food safe, and much depends on the producer and how it is done. For this reason, it is up to the maker of pottery to make their wares as safe as possible.
We at Hot Clay will provide as much information as possible with each product, but if you intend to make ceramic dinnerware with selling in mind, then you would be best advised to get your wares tested.
See link - https://www.lucideon.com/testing-characterization/ceramic-testing-analysis
For great advice on clay, glaze and food safety in ceramics, we recommend:
https://digitalfire.com/article/are+your+glazes+food+safe+or+are+they+leachable%3F
