Clay products of the Westerwälder Blumentopf-Fabrik Spang GmbH & Co. KG in contact with foodstuff
For many years, clay planters and bowls are used for storage or preparation of dishes. Various cookbooks in print deal of cooking and baking in clay pots. Therefore we would like to explain the legal aspects of using foodstuff with a product which, in its proper designation, is not intended as tableware or for the preparation of foodstuff.
This subject is governed in the German Food and Feed code – LFGB:
According to article 2, paragraph 6, sentence 1, items which “are intended to be in contact with foodstuff” are considered to be so called articles of daily use in accordance with article 1 Paragraph. 2 of the edict (EG) No. 1935/2004 of the European Parliament.
The products of Spang are no such articles of daily use: they are planters and no dishes or tableware in the original sense. For the same reason the “obligation of the declaration of conformity of ceramic items which get in touch with foodstuff” (2005/31/EG) does not apply. This obligation does also not apply if products of our company are utilized not to designated use, for example for baking bread in a flower pot, preparing salad in a planter bowl or baking and serving pizza in a saucer.
1. In addition to this we declare that all our products are free of harmful or impairing substances for the consumer. After firing at 1000°C there are no substances or chemical compounds in the final product which may impact the health of the consumer, if the planters are used as designated. There are also no substances or compounds contained or detectable in our raw materials or final goods which are on the SVHC list of the European Chemical Agency ECHA (per July 2012). The glazes used are without lead or cadmium additives. Any water soluble compounds contained in the fired ceramic product are of natural mineral origin. These do not include any heavy metals or harmful substances.
2. All red-firing products of our program can be used hazard-free with foodstuff. These are made of raw materials which are untreated clays and loams. Certain product variations may contain mineral additives. These items should not be used with foodstuff for safety reasons. See point 4.
3. The above stated also applies to the growth and consumption of eatable or herbal plants in our planters. A possibly negative impact by soil, fertilizer or other stuff used by the consumer cannot be evaluated by us.
4. The following items of our production are not suited for use with foodstuffs:
* our clay variations umba and basalt are achieved with mineral additives. These may contain ingredients which may not be declared harmless. Therefore we recommend to not use our products to other than the designated purpose, especially for contact with foodstuffs.
* Powdercoated items (cover and decoration pots of our range Ceramano Colors) are exclusively for floristic use: the plastic coating is not scratch or heat resistant.
* Ceramano Waterproof items may only be used for floristic purposes, as our Ceramano Colors products.
Our pots, planter bowls and saucers are ceramic products with a high share of so called open porosity.
In contact with foodstuff the relevant hygienic standards need to be observed to avoid any diseases caused by lacking tidiness. This includes the thorough cleaning prior and after usage with hot water and a suitable dish liquid.