This is a legacy version of the WELL Building Standard. Please check the latest version here.

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.

Part 1: Cooking Material

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:

a.67 Ceramics, except those containing lead.
b.67 Cast iron.
c.67 Stainless steel.
d.67 Glass.
e.67 Coated aluminum.
f. Solid (non-laminated) wood that is untreated or treated with food-grade mineral or linseed oil.
Part 2: Cutting Surfaces

All cutting boards are made from the following materials, and are replaced when they become excessively worn or have deep grooves from cutting:

a.75 Marble.
b.75 Plastic.
c.75 Glass.
d.75 Pyroceramic.
e.75 Solid (non-laminated) wood that is untreated or treated with food-grade mineral or linseed oil.
Part 3: Banned Plastics

No serving or food storage containers or plates is made from the following materials:

a.121 Plastic Number 6 (polystyrene).
b. Plastic Number 7 (miscellaneous).
Part 4: Containers for Prepared Food

The following materials will be used for all containers used to store, or package food ingredients or prepared foods:

a. Paper or recycled paper.
b. Glass.
c. Aluminum.
d. NSF certified stainless steel.
e. Ceramics, except those containing lead.
Immune
Urinary
Digestive
Endocrine
Reproductive
Integumentary

Applicability Matrix

Core & Shell New & Existing Buildings New & Existing Interiors
Part 1: Cooking Material - O O
Part 2: Cutting Surfaces - O O
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
67

National Institutes of Health. Cooking Utensils and Nutrition. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002461.htm. Published 2014. Accessed September 15, 2014.

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.e

The National Institutes of Health's Cooking Utensils and Nutrition identifies easily cleanable, scratch resistant and non-hazardous properties of anodized aluminum cookware.

46.1.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.

75

U.S. Department of Agriculture. Cutting Boards and Food Safety. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/ge.... Published 2013. Accessed September 15, 2014.

46.2.c

The USDA recommends consumers choose cutting boards with a nonporous surface such as glass.

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.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.

121

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Toxicological Profile for Styrene. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp53.pdf. Washington, D.C. Published November 2010. Accessed October 28, 2014.

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.