Bamboo crockery that is not 100% made out of bamboo, but that also contains a polymer (usually melamine), may no longer be sold in Europe.
This is because any materials intended to come into contact with food must be assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) before being allowed on the European market. Such an assessment has never been carried out for products consisting, amongst other things, of bamboo fibres. The use of these fibres in plastic materials can therefore not be considered safe for the consumer.
The concern is that heating these products to a temperature greater than 70°C could potentially be harmful to your health.
However, if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use closely (often highlighted by logos), there should not be a problem.
You should therefore not heat the products above 70°C (in the microwave or dishwasher for example), and you should avoid using them with hot drinks or hot food. You should preferably wash these products by hand.
You can find more information about this (in Dutch) using this link:
http://www.afsca.be/consumenten/dagelijksleven/andere/contactmaterialen/bamboevezels/
