The “truth” About The Melamine Tableware

The "truth" about the melamine tableware

Don't misunderstand melamine,there are certain rules for its scientific use.

Melamine tableware is very common in the market. It is also called imitation porcelain tableware and is essentially a plastic product. However, the emergence of the word melamine makes consumers somewhat sensitive.

Is it safe to use melamine as raw material for melamine tableware? How to use it scientifically? On June 29, 2024 , Xiao DeHai, assistant researcher at the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Beijing News reporter that qualified melamine tableware has almost no free melamine and formaldehyde monomers and will not cause harmful to people. At the same time, he also reminded consumers that when using melamine tableware, the heating temperature should not exceed 120°C, and it should not be heated in a microwave oven, used at high temperatures, or used to hold oily foods, etc.and try to avoid using it under acidic conditions.

Melamine tableware made from melamine is not scary . It has beautiful appearance, is not easy to break, is flame retardant, and has a long replacement cycle. These characteristics make it popular among some fast food restaurants and families.

Melamine is an important nitrogen heterocyclic organic chemical raw material. Is it safe to find it in melamine tableware? Xiao DeHai told the Beijing News that the main raw material of melamine tableware is high-purity melamine resin, which is a polymer compound formed by the polymerization of melamine and formaldehyde. He said, "There is almost no free melamine and formaldehyde monomers in qualified products, which will not cause harm to people."

The Shanghai Municipal Market Supervision Bureau also pointed out in its random inspection and analysis of melamine tableware that using melamine as raw material to produce melamine tableware is a mature process. Melamine formaldehyde resin is very stable below 120 degrees Celsius. As long as the production process is up to standard, consumers do not have to worry.

According to GB 4806.7-2016 (National Food Safety Standard for Plastic Materials and Products for Food Contact), the test conditions for melamine tableware migration are immersion in 4% acetic acid solution at 70°C for 2 hours. In daily life, the actual use conditions are much lower than this test condition. It should be noted that melamine tableware is not designed to be used for a long time.

Xiao DeHai told the Beijing News that melamine tableware should be used scientifically. "The service life of melamine tableware is generally two to three years. During use, if the tableware cracks, changes color, deforms, or is scratched, it should be stopped immediately."

The Beijing News reporter learned that when using melamine tableware, it should not be used in an environment with a large temperature difference, otherwise it will easily cause cracking. When cleaning melamine tableware, do not use scouring pads, scouring powder, etc. to clean the surface of the tableware, because they will scratch the surface of the tableware and make it more susceptible to contamination.

In addition, try not to put melamine tableware in a pot to steam or cook food, as high temperatures can easily cause toxic substances in the color patterns or tableware materials to precipitate. Xiao DeHai reminded that the qualified melamine tableware purchased should also be treated before use. It can be boiled in white vinegar or water for about 5 minutes, and then the tableware is soaked until it cools naturally. On the one hand, it disinfects and sterilizes, and on the other hand, it promotes the dissolution or volatilization of residual harmful substances.

How to choose melamine tableware correctly? Xiao DeHai emphasized that there are many brands of melamine tableware on the market. In the process of purchasing, as long as you choose melamine tableware according to the requirements, you don't need to pay too much attention to the brand.

According to reports, there are some tips for choosing melamine tableware. Buying in regular stores and supermarkets is a prerequisite, and at the same time, you must do "three things". First, check whether there is a manufacturer, "QS" mark and number on the package; second, check whether the tableware has obvious deformation, color difference, spots, or mixed colors. If there are any of the above, it may be made of recycled materials. At the same time, you must also check whether the surface is smooth and the bottom is flat, otherwise it is easy to crack during use.

Melamine tableware can be printed with exquisite and bright patterns. Its stable coloring effect can ensure that the tableware is bright in color, high in gloss, and not easy to peel off. When choosing this type of tableware, you can wipe it back and forth with a white paper towel to see if there is any fading. If there are decals on the tableware, check whether the pattern is clear and whether there are wrinkles and bubbles.

It should be noted that the surface in contact with food should not have any patterns or patterns, and light colors are generally preferred to avoid purchasing products made from recycled materials. In addition, smell the tableware to see if there is any pungent odor to prevent formaldehyde residue.

Xiao DeHai reminded consumers that some products that look like melamine tableware but are labeled as "placing trays" cannot be used as tableware, "because they do not have a production license, do not meet food packaging requirements, and pose a safety hazard to the human body."