Studio checklist

Food-safe pottery glazes and clay

Glazes and underglazes whose makers state they are dinnerware-safe or suitable for food contact when fired as directed, and how to keep them that way.

Inside of a bowl with a glossy green glaze
Photo: Allen Chu, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr

What makes a pottery glaze food safe?

A food-safe pottery glaze is one the maker states is suitable for dinnerware when applied and fired as directed. That wording matters. The glaze in the jar is not safe or unsafe by itself; the finished, correctly fired pot is what counts.

Every product here has a written food-use statement in its listing, such as Mayco Stroke & Coat ("food-safe and dinnerware-safe when fired according to manufacturer directions"), Penguin Pottery cone 5–6 glazes ("suitable for surfaces that come into contact with food or drink when fired to the specified cone") and Sax gloss glazes ("dinnerware suitable when fired to cone 06–05").

Glazes & decoration

All 16 in glazes & decoration

How do you keep food-safe glazes food safe?

  1. Match the cone

    Fire to the cone on the label, on a clay body made for that range. Penguin's cone 5–6 is about 2,167–2,232 °F; see the cone chart.

  2. Use witness cones

    A cone in each firing shows whether the glaze matured. Under-fired glaze is a common cause of problems.

  3. Avoid untested mixes

    Layering two glazes or mixing a decorative glaze with a liner creates a new, untested surface.

  4. Line with a stated liner

    Keep the food surface to one glaze with a food-use statement; put crystal, raku or "not for dinnerware" glazes on outside surfaces only.

  5. Test if you sell

    If you sell mugs or plates, consider lab leach testing for lead and cadmium.

What the FDA saysThe FDA regulates lead and cadmium released from ceramicware used with food and warns about traditional pottery with lead glazes. Its guidance explains when the term "lead free" can be used.Source: FDA

Which listings are not food safe?

  • Mayco Jungle Gems crystal glazes: "Do not use for dinnerware".
  • Penguin Pottery Raku set: "Not for surfaces that come into contact with food or drink".
  • AMACO Velvet underglazes: not for food contact unless covered with a glaze tested for lead and cadmium release.
  • Air-dry and polymer clay: never food-safe, sealed or not.

Compare stated food-safe options in best food-safe glazes, AMACO vs Mayco and underglaze vs glaze. For defects that affect function, see glaze defects; for the whole process, how to glaze pottery. All glazes live in the glazes category; if you plan to sell, see selling your pottery.

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Food-safe ware: questions

How do I know if my glaze is food safe?
Start with a glaze the maker states is dinnerware-safe, fire it exactly as directed and check for defects. Only a lab leach test confirms a finished piece.
Is a lead-free glaze automatically food safe?
No. Lead-free removes one hazard, but other ingredients, under-firing and defects can still affect the surface.
Are crazed glazes food safe?
Crazing creates fine cracks that can hold bacteria, so many potters avoid crazed surfaces on food ware.
Can underglaze be used on food surfaces?
Some underglaze lines state dinnerware-safe use as directed (Speedball lists it); others like AMACO Velvet need a tested clear glaze over them.
Is low-fire pottery food safe?
It can be, with a glaze rated for that cone; Sax and Mayco list low-fire dinnerware-safe glazes. Low-fire clay stays more porous, so a sound glaze coat matters.
Do I need to test glazes before selling pottery?
Lab leach testing is a sensible step for anyone selling functional ware, and some buyers ask for it.