Do you know about the quality and safety risks of ceramic tableware?

Daily ceramic tableware is very widely used in daily life, such as dinnerware sets, tea and coffee sets, coffee mugs, and dinner plates, which are needed for every day. In order to improve the appearance of the porcelain set, the surface is often decorated with ceramic flower paper and then fired at high temperatures. So there are overglaze and underglaze techniques. But most decals contain heavy metals, there is a risk of heavy metals leaching out during food contact.

Read more about the pros and cons of overglaze and underglaze.

The quality and safety risks of ceramic tableware

Harm

• During the manufacturing process of ceramic tableware set, heavy metals such as lead and cadmium may be present in the glaze and decorative patterns. If used to hold food, especially acidic food, lead and cadmium may dissolve into the food and enter the human body. Lead and cadmium are heavy metal elements that easily enter the bloodstream and are not easily excreted from the body. Long-term consumption of food containing lead and cadmium will affect the human immune system and lead to a variety of diseases.

• The main symptoms of cadmium poisoning include arteriosclerosis, renal atrophy, nephritis, etc. Cadmium has also been found to be carcinogenic and teratogenic. Cadmium can also cause high blood pressure, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, damage bones, liver, and kidneys, and cause renal failure.

• Lead is one of the more toxic types of heavy metal pollution and can cause chronic poisoning after being absorbed by the human body. Children exposed to lead-containing environments for a long time are prone to slow reactions and dull vision. After lead enters the human body, it can directly damage human brain cells, especially the fetal nervous system, and can cause congenital mental retardation in the fetus. In addition, it also has the risk of carcinogenesis and mutation.

Standard requirement

In view of the harm caused by excessive heavy metals to the human body, my country’s standard GB 4806.4-2016 《National Food Safety Standard for Ceramic Products》, US FDA/ORACPG 7117.06 “《Cadmium Pollution in Imported and Domestic Daily Pottery (Porcelain)》 and FDA/ORACPG 7117.07 《Lead Contamination in Imported and Domestic Household Pottery (Porcelain)”》”, EU Directive 84/500/EEC《Council Directive of the European Commission on Conformity and Performance Standards Requirements for Analytical Methods of Ceramics for Food Contact》 “Council Directive of the European Commission on Conformity and Performance Standards Requirements for Analytical Methods of Ceramics for Food Contact” and 2005/31 /EC “Directive of the European Commission amending the Council Directive 84/500/EEC on the conformity and performance standards of analytical methods for ceramic products that come into contact with food” stipulates the dissolution limits of lead and cadmium. The California Prop. 65-2002 “California Drinking Water Safety and Toxic Substances Enforcement Act” in the United States has tightened the restrictions on the dissolution of lead and cadmium, including specific requirements for the interior of the product, the mouth edge, and the whole body; the German LFGB 30&31 “Food, Tobacco Products, Cosmetics and Other Daily Necessities Management Law” adds restrictions on the amount of cobalt dissolution based on the amount of lead and cadmium.

Purchasing tips and using note

1. Check carefully whether the appearance of the tableware is correct and whether there are any damages, bubbles, spots, etc.
2. Try to choose products without colored decoration on the inner and outer lips. Especially ceramic tableware with inner decoration has great quality and safety risks.
3. Try to purchase relevant products in regular stores, and try not to purchase products decorated with colorful paper on e-commerce platforms.
4. Avoid using ceramic tableware with interior decoration for long periods of time to store acidic foods and drinks. The longer the storage time and the higher the temperature of the food, the easier it is for heavy metals to dissolve. Excessive lead and cadmium dissolution will cause toxic side effects and harm your health.