Is it safe for children to use stainless steel cutlery?

In addition to the stainless steel pots used for cooking soup and frying at home, when children can start to eat complementary foods, many parents usually prepare exclusive stainless steel tableware for their children for safety and practicality considerations. However, their understanding of stainless steel is very limited. So is stainless steel tableware suitable for children?

Correct understanding of stainless steel

Experts say that stainless steel has heat-insulating effects and is lightweight. The main production principle is to form an alloy with many different elements such as iron, chromium, carbon, nickel, etc., and the chromium content must be more than 11% to be anti-oxidation. It is divided into many series such as 201, 201, 300, 304, 316, etc., but not every series is suitable for making tableware and cookware.

Choose 304, 316 stainless steel products

Generally, tableware and pots are made of stainless steel 304 and 316 series, because they are resistant to high temperatures and corrosion, and the metal content released is very low, which will not harm health. 304 is also marked as 18/8 or 18-8, which means that this type of stainless steel contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel; and 316 is also marked as 18/10 or 18-10, which means that it contains 18% chromium and 10% nickel, and is a stainless steel with stronger corrosion resistance.

Although the National Bureau of Standards currently stipulates that tableware and pots must be made of 304 and 316 series stainless steel, there are no relevant penalties if manufacturers are unwilling to comply, which leads to some businesses using 201 and 202 series to make tableware and using lower-cost manganese instead of nickel to prevent rust, resulting in manganese content exceeding the standard. Therefore, experts recommend that when parents buy stainless steel tableware, in addition to avoiding low-priced products, they should also first identify the 304 and 316 grades to ensure the health of adults and children.

Influence of inferior stainless steel

Generally, inferior stainless steel tableware and cookware, if used for a long time, will easily dissolve metal elements and accumulate in the human body, endangering health.

Among the various metal elements that stainless steel may release, iron is an essential element for the human body. Unless extremely large amounts are absorbed, it may cause gastrointestinal symptoms (such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea).

However, experts point out that if stainless steel dissolves excessive manganese, it will affect the consumer's central nervous system, causing nerve, liver, and kidney diseases. It may also cause symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease: hand tremors, expressionless face, slow movements, and limb stiffness. Parents must pay attention to this.

If parents are concerned about their children’s health, they can go to a hospital with a toxicology department to arrange blood and urine tests to find out whether the heavy metal levels in the body are too high, and then decide whether subsequent treatment is needed.

Stainless steel should avoid strong acid and alkali

When using stainless steel cookware, the fire must never exceed the edge of the bottom of the pot, and it cannot be used in induction cookers or microwave ovens. When cooking, avoid scratching the surface with a spatula, and do not store strong acid or alkaline foods such as salt, soy sauce, and vinegar for a long time. When cleaning, be careful not to use strong alkaline detergents to avoid metal dissolution.

If stainless steel tableware and cookware have been used for a long time and there is no corrosion, it means that they should be of good quality and there is no need to worry. However, if the tableware already has rust spots, you should stop using it immediately and replace it with good quality stainless steel cookware.

Pair with glass or ceramic tableware

In addition to using 304 and 316 stainless steel tableware and pots, parents are advised to use glass or ceramic materials for older children or for soup or dishes. Experts say that although glass or ceramic materials are heavy and fragile, they do not contain plasticizers or metal content, so parents can use them with confidence.

Whether it is stainless steel tableware or glass and ceramic tableware, when purchasing, you need to pay attention to the differences in temperature resistance, usable range (oven, microwave oven, electric cooker, dishwasher, etc.), thermal stability, acid and alkali resistance, etc. of products made of different materials, as well as the cleaning of new products before use, so that the whole family can eat with peace of mind.