Logan Oplinger on wed 24 jan 01
Debbie:
The short answer to your question "...are these plates really "safe" to sell?" would be "No." There is no assurance the customer who would purchase your plates would approach the concepts of safety and cleanliness from the same frame of reference that you do (as a microbiologist), or that others may with the understanding of how combinations of glaze ingredients may render a glaze toxic or likely to cause injury (sharp edges, swollowed chips, etc.). My frame of reference is, I was employed for 25 years w/ the local health department as a "Food Service Sanitarian".
At the risk of inciting great ire from some in the Clayart community, I present the following.
Within the regulated environment of the food service industry, the type of glaze surface you describe on your plates would NOT be acceptable on utilitarian ware used to serve food to the public. This simply because there could not be any assurance that under the variety of conditions the "ware" would be subject to during the cleaning/ sanitation processes, that all food residue (solid to liquid) both on the glaze surface and within glaze defects, would be completely removed to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
In the non-regulated environment of the general public, the processes accepted as satisfactory for cleaning utilitarian ware vary much more widely. You could not be assured that your customers would employ the same process of cleaning that you would to assure yourself that you have done what you believe is necessary to protect yourself and your immediate loved ones. Even here you do not state with absolute certainty that the methods you employ to clean your plates actually do so.
"...my use of these plates has never created a bacterial breeding ground that I can discern. Seems like the soap & hot dishwasher get it clean."
They only way to know for sure would be to do a series of cultures on your plates that have been exposed to the variety of foods you consume from them. The cultures would have to be done after the plates have been cleaned by your normal methods.
With respect to the safety (toxicity) of your glazes you say nothing in detail about what your glaze ingredients are. If you use commercially prepared glazes which are certified as non-toxic, you may be ok, as long as what you add does not make them toxic. There are one or two simple tests which have been posted through Clayart and should be in the Clayart archives, such as the copper leach test (soaking overnight in vinegar and looking for a color change in the liquid). Other toxic ingredients are not as easily tested for and will require the services of a laboratory which does such tests.
Even though your customers may like the glass/glaze effect of your plates, and may be willing to accept the risk of their use for food, do they really know what that risk is? Whether you are a professional clay artist or not, it is your responsibility to insure that what you may sell or give away is not likely to cause harm under conditions of "normal" usage, which varies considerably.
Your question is, to me, an indication that you do want to be a responsible clay artist. What others will say in Clayart about this subject will help you and the rest of us decide what we all need to do to carry out that responsibility.
In case anyone is thinking, "Does he always sanitize his dishes after washing them?", my answer is "No, not always." This is a risk I assume for myself with an understanding of what the hazards are or are not likely to be.
If I have offended, or left anything unsaid, please say so.
With respect,
Logan Oplinger
---- you wrote:
> I like the effect that my cone 6 oxidation glazes have when I add glass sprinkled over the dried glaze & fire. However, I sometimes get craters, bubbles & crackling of the glass. Does this render the piece non-functional? I realize that bits of food may lodge in the crevices, but my use of these plates has never created a bacterial breeding ground that I can discern. Seems like the soap & hot dishwasher get it clean. My BS is in Microbiology so I know that you can swab just about any surface & get
some growth. My question is are these plates really "safe" to sell? What do my more experienced colleages say? Is there any guidelines or testing that can be done?
> Thanks
> Debbie
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