Hi all,
I am thinking to print an apple corer out of PLA. I am sure it would melt in the dishwasher but how about a hand wash in the sink? Do you think that would be enough to clean it so it doesn’t hold contaminants?
I am going to get some better dishwasher safe material but I am working on it with left overs of PLA for now.
Would PETG be a good choice?
Hi
I usually use nGen material when printing kitchen related items.
Since the material is really not in contact with the Apple corer for more than a few seconds, I really would not worry about that too much.
The problem with any 3D printed parts has to do with the porosity that happens between layers.
Little bits of food stuff that can’t be cleaned will maybe cause a contamination problem.
Maybe I’m just living dangerously.
…
I have learned from one manufacturer that in general no FDM produced part is food grade. He did suggest that clear PETG would be a better choice since it has no coloring and can handle the dishwasher temps.
There are some filaments that claim to be “FDA approved” for food usage (and PET/G springs to mind), but my understanding is that it’s not so much the material as it is the very nature of 3D printed parts. The problem is that printed parts are chock-full of tiny holes, cracks, ridges, etc. that can be virtually invisible to the naked eye but which are perfect for harbouring germs. The real question in my mind is whether this is important for a particular usage. There’s an enormous difference between producing (food safe) parts for commercial sale and making something to use in your own kitchen. Personally, I’d never seek to sell a 3D printed part for food use, the risks are just too high, but I’d have no problem at all making something for my own kitchen.
This was simply going to be for my use but I have given up on the idea. PETG couldn’t handle the dishwasher and the part itself didn’t really work that well.
