Safe food preparation materials
- 38 Fruits and vegetables
- 39 Processed foods
- 40 Food allergies
- 41 Hand washing
- 42 Food contamination
- 43 Artificial ingredients
- 44 Nutritional information
- 45 Food advertising
- 46 Safe food preparation materials
- 47 Serving sizes
- 48 Special diets
- 49 Responsible food production
- 50 Food storage
- 51 Food production
- 52 Mindful eating
- P1 Food environment
- P7 Strategic Dining Design
46. Safe food preparation materials
Food preparation equipment can be a source of potentially hazardous contaminants. Porous surfaces can harbor harmful toxins, while chemicals used to impart special attributes to food preparation equipment, such as non-stick properties for cookware, can leach or volatize during use. One such contaminant is bisphenol-A (BPA), a phenolic-based chemical that is used in products ranging from baby bottles and plastic foodware to water bottles and food can linings. While generally stable, BPA can be released when products containing BPA are exposed to heat or UV light, and may have negative effects on human health.
This feature suggests safer options for food preparation equipment and restricts materials that may use additives known to constitute a danger to human health or to be harmful to the environment.
Pots, pans and other cooking tools used to prepare food (except cutting boards) are made entirely of one or more of the following inert materials:
All cutting boards are made from the following materials, and are replaced when they become excessively worn or have deep grooves from cutting:
No serving or food storage containers or plates is made from the following materials:
The following materials will be used for all containers used to store, or package food ingredients or prepared foods:
Applicability Matrix
| Core & Shell | New & Existing Buildings | New & Existing Interiors | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Cooking Material | - | O | O |
| Part 2: Cutting Surfaces | - | O | O |
| Part 3: Banned Plastics | - | - | - |
| Part 4: Containers for Prepared Food | - | - | - |
| Commercial Kitchen | Education | Multifamily Residential | Restaurant | Retail | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Cooking Material | O | - | - | - | - |
| Part 2: Cutting Surfaces | O | - | - | - | - |
| Part 3: Banned Plastics | O | - | - | - | - |
| Part 4: Containers for Prepared Food | O | - | - | - | - |
Verification Methods Matrix
| Letters of Assurance | Annotated Documents | On-Site Checks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Cooking Material | Operations Schedule | Spot Check | |
| Part 2: Cutting Surfaces | Operations Schedule | Spot Check | |
| Part 3: Banned Plastics | Operations Schedule | Spot Check | |
| Part 4: Containers for Prepared Food | Operations Schedule | Spot Check |
| 46.1.a |
The National Institutes of Health's Cooking Utensils and Nutrition recommends that children be protected from ceramic cookware potentially containing lead. |
| 46.1.b |
The National Institutes of Health's Cooking Utensils and Nutrition identifies that dietary iron may increase due to the use of cast iron cookware. |
| 46.1.c |
The National Institutes of Health's Cooking Utensils and Nutrition identifies the low cost, durable, heat resistant and non-hazardous properties of stainless steel. |
| 46.1.d |
The National Institutes of Health's Cooking Utensils and Nutrition identifies the scratch resistant and cleanable properties of glass cutting boards. |
| 46.1.e |
The National Institutes of Health's Cooking Utensils and Nutrition identifies easily cleanable, scratch resistant and non-hazardous properties of anodized aluminum cookware. |
| 46.2.a |
The USDA recommends consumers choose cutting boards with a nonporous surface such as marble. |
| 46.2.b |
The USDA recommends consumers choose cutting boards with a nonporous surface such as plastic. |
| 46.2.c |
The USDA recommends consumers choose cutting boards with a nonporous surface such as glass. |
| 46.2.d |
The USDA recommends consumers choose cutting boards with a nonporous surface such as pyroceramic. |
| 46.2.e |
The USDA recommends consumers choose cutting boards with a nonporous surface such as wood. Laminated boards may crack and split. |
| 46.3.a |
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes that polystyrene may be present at low concentrations in food from food containers and packaging materials. |