🤯 Did you know that humans have been using ceramics as a food contact material for more than 10,000 years?

🍽️ Ceramic ware used for food contact—such as plates, bowls, and mugs—is made from clay that is shaped, glazed, and then fired at high temperatures. Its dense, vitrified (i.e. non-crystalline) surface offers durability and heat resistance. This makes it a highly inert, chemically simple material that avoids many of the chemical migration concerns often present in less inert, chemically complex materials such as paper and plastics.

⚠️ However, some glazes applied to ceramics could contain heavy metals such as lead and cadmium migrating into foods, especially when in long contact with acidic or hot foods, or when the glaze is damaged. This is primarily an issue in older ceramics, and it is more likely to be seen in decorative or painted ceramics with bright colors like red, orange, or yellow. Lead and cadmium can be toxic to humans and have been shown to cause health problems when ingested. According to the FCCmigex database, there is evidence from 21 and 18 studies that lead and cadmium can migrate from glazed ceramics, respectively.

☝️ The good news is that legislation exists in most regions of the world that specifies safety and testing requirements for glazed ceramics intended for food contact to prevent the issue of heavy metals.