v1 Jan 2014

LUCIDEON GUIDE TO THE PERFORMANCE

TESTING OF CERAMIC DINNERWARE

Nigel Leak

This work by Lucideon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

4.0 International License.

by Lucideon 2

INTRODUCTION

Typically, modern ceramic dinnerware services

consist of both tableware and ovenware items;

these wares are available in a wide range of

shapes and decorations.

During the service life, each item will be

repeatedly heated and cooled, have contact with

food, cutlery and dishwasher reagents, and as a

result be subject to varying degrees of stress,

mechanical impact and chemical attack. Vendors

have a responsibility to demonstrate that items

are able to withstand reasonable exposure to

these forces, i.e. “they are fit for purpose”. To

achieve this, items must demonstrate compliance

to relevant legislative requirements and

performance test standards.

Within this guide, buyers and retailers of ceramic

dinnerware are provided with the domestic

market guidelines for the legislation and

performance tests commonly used to determine

the “fitness for purpose” of ceramic items sold in

the UK.

LEGISLATION REQUIREMENTS

It is a mandatory requirement that ceramic items

intended for food contact comply with The

Ceramic Articles in Contact with Food (England)

Regulations 2006, for the following criteria:

- The lead and cadmium release limits specified

in Council Directive 84/500/EEC, as amended

by Council Directive 2005/31/EC

- Manufacturers and importers to supply a

declaration of compliance with the above

requirement. Distributors, including retailers,

must ensure that a valid declaration is

obtained with every delivery.

PERFORMANCE TESTS

Test Method Title

BS EN 1183 Materials and articles in contact with foodstuff – Test methods for thermal shock and thermal shock endurance

BS EN 13258 Materials and articles in contact with foodstuff – Test methods for crazing resistance of ceramic articles

BS EN 12980 Materials and articles in contact with foodstuff – Methods of test for determining impact resistance

BS EN 12875-1 Mechanical dishwashing resistance of utensils – Part 1: Reference test method for domestic articles

BS EN 12875-2 Mechanical dishwashing resistance of utensils – Part 2: Inspection of non-metallic articles

Figure 1. British and European Performance Tests for Domestic Ceramic Dinnerware

The British and European Standard tests, by

which the performance of ceramic dinnerware

may be measured, are listed in Figure 1.

At present, a number of performance criteria are

not covered by British or European Standards.

Leading ceramic test laboratories are able to

accommodate this gap through “in-house” tests.

Such performance criteria include:

- Suitability for freezer use

- Handle strength and the integrity of the

handle attachment

- Handle and knob temperature

- Lid security

- Pouring characteristics

- Water retention

- Metal marking.

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Figure 2. The edge of a dinner plate being

subjected to the BS EN 12980 impact test

PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION

The various categories of ceramic dinnerware:

china/porcelain, bone china, stoneware and

earthenware, distributed within EU countries,

have precise technical definitions based on: water

absorption values, the presence of translucency

and, in the case of bone china, composition.

Identifying the precise category of ceramic

dinnerware is essential in order to ensure:

1. Goods imported into the EU are calculated for

the correct import tariff

2. Products are labelled correctly for sale in the

UK and other EU countries

The test methods and Standards by which

ceramic dinnerware may be classified for sale in

EU countries is summarised in Figure 3.

Test Method Title

679/72/EC Combined Nomenclature - Chapter 69 - Ceramics

BS EN 1184 Materials and articles in contact with foodstuff – Test methods for translucency of ceramic articles

BS EN 1217 Materials and articles in contact with foodstuff – Test methods for water absorption of ceramic articles

BS EN 1900 Materials and articles in contact with foodstuff – Non-metallic tableware - Terminology

Figure 3. British and European Performance Tests for the Classification of Domestic Ceramic

Dinnerware

PRODUCT PERFORMANCE

Through the experience of using these test

standards over a number of years, it has been

possible to correlate test results with service

performance, and therefore utilise such results as

a benchmark to indicate a product’s “fitness for

purpose”. In 2003, a consortium of the UK’s

leading importers, distributors, retailers and

manufacturers of ceramic dinnerware was

formed; BSI and Lucideon combined their

experience and published the Publically Available

Specification (PAS) document for domestic

ceramicware and glassware – PAS 54. Since its

publication, PAS 54 has become the guide by

which leading retailers, importers, distributors

and manufactures of ceramic dinnerware base

their product performance specifications.

BENEFITS OF TESTING

Testing ceramic dinnerware to Standards

ultimately verifies products are fit for purpose,

and also provides the vendor with the

reassurance that the products are durable, of the

required quality and have a minimum risk of

failure during service.

WHY CONDUCT INDEPENDENT TESTING

Independent testing provides third party

verification that ceramic dinnerware meets or

exceeds the requirements of PAS 54. This can

prove crucial if a product’s fitness for purpose is

called into question or, if a dispute arises

between a vendor and customer.

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CHOOSING AN INDEPENDENT LABORATORY

When selecting a laboratory that provides

reliable results, the laboratory must be:

- Independent

- Internationally recognised

- ISO 17025 accredited (this indicates the

laboratory is required to maintain calibration

records for all test equipment, hold detailed

records for all test procedures and is annually

externally audited).

The value of reliable test results cannot be

underestimated; inaccurate results lead to

incorrect decisions which, in turn, can lead to

huge financial losses on large consignments. The

main cause of incorrect results is equipment

being out of calibration and human error relating

to an insufficient understanding of the test

procedure.

Using test laboratories which meet this criteria,

provides the best guarantee that test results will

be reliable.

CONCLUSION

Almost all of the technical considerations that

need to be made when procuring or selling

ceramic dinnerware can be met through

conducting the mentioned tests and comparing

the results to the requirements laid down in PAS

54. Compliance to, or exceeding the performance

criteria of PAS 54, will provide the ceramic

dinnerware vendor with confidence that their

products are fit for purpose and pose a minimum

failure risk whilst in service to the customer.

by Lucideon

ABOUT LUCIDEON Lucideon is a leading international provider of materials development, testing and assurance. Through its offices and laboratories in the UK, US and the Far East, Lucideon provides materials and assurance expertise to clients in a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, construction, ceramics and power engineering.

The company aims to improve the competitive

advantage and profitability of its clients by

providing them with the expertise, accurate

results and objective, innovative thinking that

they need to optimise their materials, products,

processes, systems and businesses.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

NIGEL LEAK - PROJECT LEADER

EXPERTISE IN: CERAMIC TABLEWARE AND

TILES

Nigel has a career spanning over thirty-five years

in the ceramics industry and joined Lucideon

after graduating from North Staffordshire

Polytechnic with a Degree in Ceramic

Technology. Nigel is also a member of the

Institute of Materials Minerals and Mining, and BSI

CW029 Committee.

Nigel has dedicated his profession to solving

faults in the tableware, tile and sanitaryware

sectors and linking manufacturing issues to

service performance. This commitment has seen

him undertake technical audits and investigations

throughout the world, including North and South

America, South Africa, Europe and South East

Asia.

Nigel convenes technical committees and interest

groups for the retail, tableware and tile sectors,

and additionally takes an active role in standards

development. With his depth of knowledge and

experience Nigel delivers training courses at

venues worldwide to manufacturers, distributors

and retailers of ceramic tabletop items.