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Health risk kitchen utensils - melamine resin products release harmful substances when heated
Kitchen utensils made of melamine resin can emit harmful amounts of melamine and formaldehyde in the food, warned the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). The use of objects made of melamine resin when heating the food is therefore strongly discouraged, the BfR said.
Melamine resin, for example, is used for the manufacture of cutlery, wooden spoons, cups, plates and bowls and is becoming increasingly popular due to its resistance to breakage. However, the BfR warned that when heated, harmful amounts of melamine and formaldehyde can pass into the food. BfR experts explained that even dangerous concentrations of volatile formaldehyde can occur in the air after heating the melamine resin kitchen utensils.
Melamine resin kitchen appliances release melamine and formaldehyde The examination of the melamine resin kitchen appliances by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the supervisory authorities of the federal states has shown that when heated, the limit values that apply to the transition of melamine and formaldehyde in food were significantly exceeded become. Therefore, yesterday (May 12), the BfR issued a warning against the use of kitchen appliances made of melamine resin. As a matter of principle, these should not be heated, since this could result in harmful food pollution, the BfR said. The experts explained that the temperatures that occur when cooking, roasting or heating in the microwave can cause the material to decompose, causing considerable amounts of melamine and formaldehyde to be released into the food. The BfR warned that the risk is particularly high when processing acidic foods such as fruit and vegetables. According to the BfR experts, the decomposition of the melamine resin products is visible on the surface. The objects lose smoothness and shine. If the surfaces are already attacked, the decomposition process is accelerated and larger and larger quantities of melamine and formaldehyde leak out, warned the BfR.
Kitchen utensils made of melamine resin should not be heated The president of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Prof. Andreas Hensel, said that "consumers should therefore not use dishes and kitchen utensils made of melamine resin to fry, cook and heat food in the microwave". However, according to the person skilled in the art, the use of the objects made of melamine resin at temperatures below 70 degrees Celsius is unproblematic. The BfR was guided by the provisions of the EU regulation for plastics in contact with food as an orientation for the possible health damage caused by the introduction of melamine. The EU sets a maximum migration limit of 30 milligrams per kilogram when transitioning from melamine to food. Just last year, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reclassified melamine and reduced the acceptable daily intake. However, the migration limit for melamine products was not adjusted. A migration limit of 15 milligrams per kilogram has long been in force in the EU for carcinogenic formaldehyde.
Impending health impairments from melamine and formaldehyde While temperatures below 70 degrees Celsius do not cause harmful amounts of melamine or formaldehyde to pass into the food, the migration limits are significantly exceeded at higher temperatures, the BfR said. Since formaldehyde is also extremely volatile, the air in the room can also be significantly polluted and there are health problems from inhaling the formaldehyde. Significant exposure to formaldehyde can have health consequences such as allergies and irritation to the skin, respiratory tract or eyes. In addition, there is an acute danger to life from a concentration of 30 milliliters per cubic meter due to possible toxic pulmonary edema. In addition, formaldehyde can cause memory, concentration and sleep disorders with long-term stress. In addition, formaldehyde has been classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "carcinogenic to humans" since 2004. The BfR also subsequently reclassified formaldehyde as "carcinogenic for humans" and named recent epidemiological studies as justification, which recorded increased mortality from tumors of the nasopharynx in industrial workers who were regularly exposed to formaldehyde. (fp)
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