Bamboo tableware is not suitable for hot food and hot drinks, writes the German Federal Institute for risk assessment (BfR) in a new opinion. The Material is heated too much, can pass harmful substances to the food.

The “bamboo goods” marketed products consist Essentially of a melamine-formaldehyde resin, in the bamboo fibers as a filler have been incorporated. Strictly speaking, therefore, it is not bamboo, but plastic dishes.

Since it is lightweight and resistant to breakage, is melamine-formaldehyde resin, often for a reusable Cup, or picnic dishes. At higher temperatures, however, can pass harmful amounts of melamine and formaldehyde in the food. Formaldehyde can irritate the eyes, skin and respiratory tract and is suspected to cause cancer. Melamine leads to experiments in Long-term rodent to diseases of the bladder and the kidneys.

For his opinion, the BfR has evaluated data from more than 300 products. Therefore the health guideline values in some of the cups 30 Times for adults and 120-Fold for toddlers exceeded. “Often even more harmful formaldehyde and melamine dissolves from ‘bamboo ware’ than from ‘conventional’ melamine resin-cups”, – quotes the BfR its President Andreas Hensel.

In addition to the use of tea and coffee, the BfR expressly advises to fill hot baby follow-on formula or milk for infants in the cups and bowls. The materials should not be used to heat food in the microwave. For cold or lukewarm food, the crockery is suitable, however, well, the BfR more.

Wrong Webeversprechen: In any case, biodegradable

Apart from the health concerns, the BfR criticises that bamboo tableware is often advertised as a particularly environment-friendly. The products are touted often as the biodegradable part of it also means that they are made exclusively from renewable raw materials. In fact, the plastic melamine-formaldehyde resin is not biodegradable.

The Stiftung Warentest had already warned in the summer prior to cups made from bamboo. “Let the fingers of bamboo cups,” he said then. In the Test, seven of the twelve cups, pollutants were released when they came up with more than 70 degree liquids in contact. In addition, the tester complained about the labelling of many of the cups to be biodegradable. Often, Recycling is even problematic, because the mixture of bamboo and melamine-formaldehyde resin won’t let into its components split up.

There is no labelling obligation for tableware made of melamine-formaldehyde resin. For this reason, consumers are able to recognize the Material only when the manufacturer’s directions on the use. In the case of “bamboo goods” marked products, such as “Coffee to go”cups, could be generally assumed that it is a case of MFH, writes the BfR. As an Alternative, the consumer advises the Central Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to the products made of stainless steel, porcelain or polypropylene (PP).