Melamine Tableware - Are they safe for eating?

Melamine is a chemical used in the manufacturing of plastic dishes, cups, and other tableware. It gives the dishes a harder, more durable feel than standard plastic. Melamine dishes were popular when introduced during the 1950s and 60s. It's the abundance and variety of colors and patterns, durability, and affordability of these plastic dishes that make them an appealing option.

>> Read more: What is Melamine tableware?

Melamine manufactured-dishes have been deemed safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) within certain guidelines. According to the FDA, safety tests were conducted by The Taiwan Consumers' Foundation of tableware made in China. The results showed that during the manufacturing process, a small residue of the melamine compound could remain in the dish and, under certain conditions, could migrate slowly to foods that come into contact with it.

While melamine poisoning is extremely rare, it can lead to kidney stones and kidney failure.

Melamine is considered safe for serving and eating food, but food shouldn’t be microwaved in dishes that contain this chemical. You should only microwave food in containers that are labeled as microwave-safe.   

The FDA has done a safety and risk assessment on melamine to estimate the risk that exposure to it has on human health. It reviewed the scientific literature on melamine toxicity as well as animal studies and concluded that this chemical is safe to use for serving food but not in the microwave.

>> Read more: Superware - Famous Melamine Brand from Thailand