Terracotta food packaging

I wanted to findout what things we need to look out for in the specification of 'Suitable for food' Terracotta pots, to ensure it really does comply with the food law and safety.
What procedures do we need to take to use these containers for dips to retail. to ensure it complies with BRC?
VERY URGENT! - Feedback will be appreciated.

I wanted to findout what things we need to look out for in the specification of 'Suitable for food' Terracotta pots, to ensure it really does comply with the food law and safety.
What procedures do we need to take to use these containers for dips to retail. to ensure it complies with BRC?

VERY URGENT! - Feedback will be appreciated.

Hello Bibi,

First off I have zero experience with teracotta pots. If you intend to supply to Europe you will need to comply with:

Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2204 (materials and articles intended to come into contact with food)

I'm going to re-read the document myself and hopefully will be able to revert with some more comments.

Happy reading.
Simon

Hi Bibi,

Terracotta pots for dips.......very interesting. (I do not have time to read all that was posted by Simon) but here goes anyway. IMO, you will find a lot of French Mustards etc in the retails that are packed in ceramic or glass jars. These are really no different from terracotta jars (assuming that they are produced under hygienic conditions) and if the dips have high acid or high brix product characteristics, it therefore does not rely on hermetically sealed container to protect against spoillages as the very product characteristics take care of itself.

Apart from physical hazards (i.e. fragments from broken clay into the product) -I see no reason why it should not be an acceptable form of packaging unless the product is one that is subject to heat treatment process and require a vacuum induced container (then thats a different story)

This is just my opinion........you wanted it urgently, right!

Charles, provides excellent practical advice, but you would still need to make sure you comply with the law. Are the pots coated with anything inside? Have you carried out shelf-life trials with product?

Simon

Risk wise, heavy metal substances cannot be removed during kiln drying and therefore should be considered. I remember in the good old days, water used to be kept in terracotta vases and it keeps the water really cool

Risk wise, heavy metal substances cannot be removed during kiln drying and therefore should be considered. I remember in the good old days, water used to be kept in terracotta vases and it keeps the water really cool

I remenber that too, we used to cover the terracotta vase with wet cloth and put it in the shadow away from heat source.
they used to be covered from inside with tarmac, is it kind of glase? I don't know?
just I will never forget how the water was nice cool and smelly differently, but I still alive

bibi