Hi Team,
Have a request on your experience with filaments which are food safe (FDA approved for connection with food). My wife is a baker and started using couple cookie cutters I built with my new printer. I’m more an amateur and found out RioRand PLA to work best for my prints, see:
http://www.riorand.com/riorandtm-1-75mm-pla-filament-1kg-2-2lb-for-3d-printers-reprap-makerbot-replicator-2-afinia-solidoodle-etc.html
It does say, it is biodegradable but no mentioning about food safe at all. My wife is worried about of use of these cutters to her cookies she bake. I’m looking for filaments which are FDA approved and food safe and also for affordable price, would you be able to help me, please!
Many thanks for responses in advance!
Kascejus!
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PLA might be just fine. MakerGeeks.com has a food grade category of filaments for purchase, and it includes PLA, PETT, and CrystalFlex. I’m sure that there are other options, as well, but those are what are listed at one site.
if you can, check the MSDS of the filament you’re using; it should give you a good idea.
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The question here is if you use the cookie cutters just for cookies you eat yourself or if your wife sells them.
In the first case, I wouldn’t worry for something like cookie cutters made from PLA. Even ABS would be mostly fine as long as there is just a short time of contact and it is not heated (Legos are made of ABS and kids take them into their mouths a lot). Make sure the surface is good and there aren’t any bits that can break off and end up in the cookies and use transparent filament without coloring agents that can be a problem.
I think as long as you are not putting yourself on a diet consisting of only those cookies for 20 years, you totally fine anyway, even if the material was a bit problematic.
In the second case you have a problem. Even if you use a FDA approved filament (http://www.makergeeks.com/fdaapfi.html), your extruder and the nozzle aren’t, so technically I think you would be in a grey zone legally. Also note that even if your nozzle and extruder are up to FDA standards, your print bed might be dirty or pass particles to the print when you remove it.
Thanks for reply! Actually, my wife does sell those to public, not much, but still selling. Therefore, I would need to get FDA approved filament I guess. However, as noted, what should I do about the nozzle and extruder itself?
In my (very limited!) experience with food grade equipment, for a normal 3d printer it’s next to impossible to get it food grade. Even something like the z-axis threaded rods can be problematic if not completely encased. The extruder screw would need to be made of high grade steel. The ball bearings would need to be food grade rated and lubricated with a food grade lubricant. The hot end would also have to be high grade steel only or other food grade material.
As I wrote before, it’s probably a grey zone, and it’s hard to imagine you get any problems with a small scale cookie sale. Even if you sell millions of cookies all around the world, chances are nobody will care until something happens (traces of problematic substances in your product)
That said, I would eat those cookies without any 2nd thought even if the cutters are made from non food grade ABS and if you think of other sources of food contamination, most small scale food processing is probably flawed:
- Is everything used for preparation cleaned properly? Is every trace of cleaning agents rinsed properly?
- Does your wife wear food rated gloves and wears a hair net during preparation?
- Are there any animals in your house hold / have access to the kitchen?
- Are any wooden tools used during preparation?
- etc
If I were in the same situation, I’d do this:
- get an FDA approved filament
- use a new hot end, not used for other filaments
- make sure your extruder screw etc is clean before each print
- troughly clean the cutters before use
And I would have a clean consciousness and peace of mind selling cookies.
Tobias,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! It much clearer on how I can proceed. Appreciate your detailed response!
Kascejus
