As an online store, but also a consumer, we feel a responsibility to not contribute to the use of plastic in the food chain increasing more because of us. Because both when dogs scratch the plastic with their teeth and when we wash plastic in the dishwasher or by hand, it results in the release of microplastics. Then it can either end up in the dog's body or in the drains, which then go further into nature.
In an article by WWF they write:
"Microplastics also find their way into our bodies. How and to what extent this affects our health is still being researched. But what we do know is that long-term and high levels of exposure to microplastics can lead to lung disease, cancer and death."
In 2022, shocking news came that researchers had found microplastics in the blood of humans. A full 80 percent of the participants in the study had micro- or nanoplastics in their blood."
And if it can affect us humans to these degrees, it can certainly affect our four-legged best friends too... 😞
We have mentioned several times that we will only sell slow feeders, lick mats and silicone cooking molds - food grade silicone. But what does this actually mean?
Food grade silicone
Silicone is made of versatile and robust synthetic polymer consisting mainly of non-toxic silica (sand). The silicone products we sell will be FDA- and/or LFGB approved . Silicone products that pass one of these tests are considered safe for food contact and will not release any harmful substances (such as BPA, BPS and other phthalates) . All of our products will be approved by either one or both!
FDA ( Food and Drug Administration) and LFGB (Lebensmittel- und Futtermittelgesetzbuch = Food and Nutrition Act)
For silicone products, there are mainly two standards: LFGB or FDA. Silicone products that have been approved by one of these tests are safe for human use. When it comes to prices, products in the LFGB standard are often more expensive than those with "only" the FDA standard, which is why FDA certification is more widespread. This is because the LFGB test method is more comprehensive and many players choose to have their products FDA-approved and not LFGB. We will strive to ensure that all of our products are eventually only LFGB-approved products, but at the same time try to keep prices down!
We promise to always label our products clearly according to which tests they have been approved under. It will be clearly stated under every silicone product, where we will also link to this article so that you understand what the abbreviations stand for.
Why choose products made from food grade silicone?
Silicone rubber has a number of sought-after properties:
- Withstands extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, i.e. anything between -60 °C and up to 230 °C without the products losing their shape or durability.
- Is resistant to liquids, cooking oils and does not leak.
- Its antifungal and non-stick properties also contribute to less chance of contamination, as well as preventing mold.
- It is free of harmful substances such as BPS and BPA, making it non-toxic and safe in contact with food.
- It degrades more slowly than other organic elastomers, which means that food-grade silicone generally has a longer lifespan.
Do you have any questions? Write below in the comments, send us an email at mail@tasseladden.no or write to us on instagram @tasseladden.no. We will answer as soon as we can 🩶
Sources:
- https://www.wwf.no/dyr-og-natur/hav-og-fiske/plast-i-havet/mikroplast
- https://silicone.co.uk/news/what-is-fda-food-grade-silicone-made-up-of/