ISO 8391-2:1986

Overview

ISO 8391-2:1986 establishes permissible limits for the release of lead and cadmium from ceramic cookware intended for food preparation by heating. This Part 2 is linked to ISO 8391-1 (the test method) and is based on collaborative studies and World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. The standard applies specifically to ceramic articles such as china, porcelain and earthenware (excluding glass, glass-ceramic and porcelain enamel) and targets scenarios where heating acidic foods can enhance metal extraction.

Key features of the standard:

• Defines the scope and purpose of permissible limits for toxic metal release.
• Relies on extraction of cookware surfaces using a hot 4% acetic acid solution.
• Specifies determination of extracted lead and cadmium by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).
• Built on international collaborative testing to ensure repeatability and reproducibility.

Key Topics

• Scope and applicability: Ceramic cookware used for heating foods where contact with acidic media may mobilize soluble metals.
• Test linkage: Permissible limits are intended to be applied to results produced by the ISO 8391-1 test method (hot acetic acid extraction followed by AAS analysis).
• Health protection: Limits are set to reduce the risk of lead and cadmium exposure from food prepared in ceramic cookware.
• International harmonization: Addresses non-tariff trade barriers by providing an internationally accepted basis for testing and limits.

Applications

This standard is directly useful for:

• Manufacturers of ceramic cookware who need to control glaze formulation and firing processes to meet international safety limits.
• Quality assurance and testing laboratories performing hot-acid extraction and AAS analysis to verify compliance with permissible limits.
• Regulators and market surveillance authorities establishing or enforcing food-contact material safety rules.
• Importers and exporters seeking to demonstrate conformity to internationally recognized limits and to reduce trade friction.

Practical benefits include enhanced consumer protection from toxic metal exposure, a consistent testing basis for certification, and support for harmonized market access across jurisdictions.

Related Standards

• ISO 8391-1: Ceramic cookware in contact with food - Release of lead and cadmium - Part 1: Method of test (defines the hot acetic acid extraction and AAS procedure referenced by Part 2).
• WHO publications and FAO/WHO expert committee reports informing toxicological basis and recommended limits.

For implementers, the combined use of ISO 8391-1 (test method) and ISO 8391-2 (permissible limits) provides a practical, internationally backed framework for controlling lead and cadmium release from ceramic cookware and protecting public health while facilitating trade compliance.