Vince Pitelka on thu 11 aug 05
> A majority of earthenware remains porous, thus will not be food safe
> unless
> covered with an uncrazed glaze.
I'm sorry, but this just isn't true. Show me evidence of anyone, ever,
anywhere, suffering health problems from crazed earthenware as long as the
glaze itself wasn't the problem. In fact, most glazed earthenware through
history has been crazed, and as far as we know, no one suffered health
problems from its use.
This is one of those ceramic urban legends - that crazed pottery is not food
safe. Crazed pottery is less durable than un-crazed pottery, and a glaze
inclined to release toxic materials will of course be more of a problem if
it is crazed. But other than that, there is no evidence that terrible
bacteria grow in the clay and then come back out through the craze cracks to
attack our gastrointestinal tracts. This is like the big furor over wood
cutting boards. As it turns out, wood cutting boards are less prone to
bacterial growth than plastic cutting boards that have been well-scored from
use.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Vince Pitelka on fri 12 aug 05
> We know that a unvitrified clay body covered with a crazed glaze will
> probably absorb liquids, becoming less durable and retain heat more if
> subjected to heating, such as in a microwave.
> Whether these liquids may contain what may become potentially harmful
> bacteria or mold is unknown.
Bill -
This falls into the category of "not worth worrying about." There is a
danger of being paranoid about such things, like people who scrub all their
fruit and vegetables with hot water and soap. As I said, there is no
evidence of anyone ever becoming poisoned or even sickened by eating from
earthenware with a crazed glaze, and until we have positive proof that there
IS a danger, it simply is not worth worrying about. There are too many REAL
dangers in the world worthy of our concern and worry.
Best wishes -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
William & Susan Schran User on fri 12 aug 05
On 8/11/05 8:21 PM, "Vince Pitelka" wrote:
> In fact, most glazed earthenware through
> history has been crazed, and as far as we know, no one suffered health
> problems from its use.
>
> This is one of those ceramic urban legends - that crazed pottery is not food
> safe. Crazed pottery is less durable than un-crazed pottery, and a glaze
> inclined to release toxic materials will of course be more of a problem if
> it is crazed.
"As far as we know" is the operative phrase. I would agree the probability
is that there may be no issue with food safety on functional pottery covered
with a crazed glaze. But again, we don't know for certain.
We know that a unvitrified clay body covered with a crazed glaze will
probably absorb liquids, becoming less durable and retain heat more if
subjected to heating, such as in a microwave.
Whether these liquids may contain what may become potentially harmful
bacteria or mold is unknown.
--
William "Bill" Schran
Fredericksburg, Virginia
William & Susan Schran User on sat 13 aug 05
On 8/12/05 8:17 PM, "Vince Pitelka" wrote:
> This falls into the category of "not worth worrying about."
We each have our opinions about what is important and what is "not worth
worrying about". Both are valid based on own own experiences. I appreciate
your sentiment that there are too many REAL dangers in the world to worry
about. But those are the ones we know about.
When I was young, used to roll small amounts of mercury around in my hands.
Now they evacuate schools if some is found spilled on the floor.
I remember in elementary school had a bit of asbestos in my geology kit,
played with it, broke it in pieces, not worth worrying about. Ten years ago
a renovation project at school found fire proofing material sprayed on
girders contained less than 10% asbestos, evacuated the building for a year
until it was all removed!
In undergrad school we mixed clay, standing there in a cloud of dust,
smoking a cigarette - attitude - not worth worrying about. I quit smoking
quite some time ago and have elected to purchase moist clay.
Built our kilns, no safety devices. Did salt firing, no eye or lung
protection - not worth worrying about. Safety back-up devices on all kilns,
even our raku kiln.
Undergrad & grad school, stirred glazes with our hands, even glazes
containing lead - not worth worrying about. Now we use toilet bowl brushes
to stir glazes - works very well!
Not worried, not concerned, just prudent.
--
William "Bill" Schran
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Paul Lewing on sat 13 aug 05
on 8/12/05 5:17 PM, Vince Pitelka at vpitelka@DTCCOM.NET wrote:
> As I said, there is no
> evidence of anyone ever becoming poisoned or even sickened by eating from
> earthenware with a crazed glaze, and until we have positive proof that there
> IS a danger, it simply is not worth worrying about.
Amen! I can't believe that people would worry about germs in the cracks in
crazed ware and then eat a salad off the plate. How many people have you
heard of who've died from germs on their dinnerware? Now tell me how many
people you've heard of who've died from germs on their vegetables.
Paul Lewing, Seattle
Lee Love on sun 14 aug 05
Vince Pitelka wrote:
>Bill -
>This falls into the category of "not worth worrying about." There is a
>danger of being paranoid about such things, like people who scrub all their
>fruit and vegetables with hot water and soap.
George arrived the last day of the Mashiko Toki-ichi (pottery festival) with his tour group. First thing he sad as we shook hands was, "Is your pottery `Food Safe?'" I replied, "Yes it is. But the question is, `Is your food safe for my pottery?' Gonna get mercury leaching from your fish on to my plates?" ;-)
Unless your fruit and vegetables are organic, you really should scrub them with water to remove the pesticides. What comes to us in our food is more of a health concern than crazing glaze on pottery. So please wash your veggies and fruit.
--
Lee Love
in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://seisokuro.blogspot.com/ My Photo Logs
"The way we are, we are members of each other. All of us. Everything.
The difference ain't in who is a member and who is not, but in who knows it and who don't."
-- Burley Coulter (Wendell Berry)
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