What materials are food plates made of?

Nowadays, in any store you can find dinner plates - they are made from a variety of materials, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's consider how metal dishes differ from ceramic ones, and what are the pros and cons of faience. And also let's talk about the features of porcelain, glass, plastic and other types of tableware.

The most popular tableware materials include porcelain, earthenware, ceramics and glass. It is worth dwelling on each type separately.

Depending on the method of painting, there are several types of porcelain. The most expensive is the manufactory, which is decorated by hand - its price tag is so high that it is commensurate with the cost of Rolls-Royce. Porcelain dishes can be decorated with a decal - these are embossed ornaments that are applied using engraving or perforation. Bone china is highly prized. However, most often porcelain is not painted, since this material itself looks quite solemn.

Most of the plates are made in white, as this is the favorite shade of most designers these days. In addition, such tableware is universal - it can be combined with any tablecloth and any style of dining room. A slight deviation from white in the form of an edging of a golden or blue tint is allowed - the main thing is that your plates are in harmony with other cutlery. For example, if the dishes are decorated with gold ornaments, then it will not be superfluous to place gilded spoons, forks or other objects on the table.

Porcelain has a number of undeniable advantages.

• Inertness in contact with chemicals. Under the influence of food acids and alkalis, as well as detergents, the material does not lose its properties.
• Versatility... Porcelain dishes look relevant in any interiors, they are above fashion trends, so they can look stylish for many decades.

Of the minuses of porcelain plates, susceptibility to the influence of high temperatures is distinguished: plates are not recommended to be washed with hot water, food cannot be reheated in them.

Faience has long been called a cheap analogue of porcelain. Plates made of this material usually have rounded or compacted edges, they are durable and very comfortable, therefore they are optimal for holding large festive feasts. It is easy to distinguish earthenware from porcelain - if you hit a porcelain plate with a wooden stick, you will hear a high melodic sound, and earthenware responds dullly.

From a chemical point of view, earthenware is a mixture of spar, quartz and kaolin, moreover, the latter accounts for about 85%, which gives the material a porous structure and determines the significant advantages of the material:

• low price - earthenware dishes are available to the overwhelming majority of Russian families;
• ability to retain heat: cooked food, laid out in earthenware plates, transfer their heat to them, and the dishes, in turn, maintain the required temperature of the dish.

At the same time, earthenware, like porcelain, does not tolerate too high temperatures.

The main advantage of ceramic cookware is that it has the ability to regulate humidity and heat levels. Ceramic plates can keep the broth hot for a long time, and the chilled okroshka will not heat up in them. It is allowed to reheat food in the microwave in clay plates, and they can also be put into the oven if necessary.

Ceramic tableware has many advantages that are appreciated by buyers all over the world:

• environmentally friendly composition;
• heat-consuming surface;
• uniformity of heating;
• ease of maintenance.

It is important that ceramic plates are chemically inert: when interacting with acid-alkaline solutions, they do not change their composition and do not emit hazardous substances, which means that they can be used without fear for serving an adult and children's table. Plates made from a mixture of clay with mineral additives have the property of moisture exchange: due to the highly porous structure, the plates absorb and accumulate moisture, and then give it to the products.

The main disadvantage of ceramic plates is the difficulty in cleaning. The fact is that it is almost impossible to clean grease from such surfaces. In addition, it absorbs all odors and does not tolerate temperature extremes - for example, if you pour hot soup into a cold plate, it will immediately crack. And in general, ceramics is a rather fragile material: even with a slight physical impact, chips form on its surfaces.

Glassware can be transparent or colored, its edges are necessarily even, with a weak impact, glass cutlery emit a gentle melodic sound. Most often, glasses are made of glass; this material is also suitable for the production of plates, although glass ceramics are mainly used. The popularity of glass products is due to their low thermal conductivity, so that food stays warm longer than other types of dishes. Glass is easy to clean and can be cleaned using any cleaning agent, including abrasives.

And you will have to suffer with the choice of a tablecloth - it should be combined not only with the dinner service, but also with the contents of the plate... For example, if you put a pink tablecloth on the table, then the ham laid out on the plate will simply merge with it.

Plates made of crystal stand apart - this is the most expensive material after precious stones. Such devices are most often used for table setting and serving cold dishes - salads, fruits, sweets. If you expose the crystal to heat, it will become coated with a bloom and become cloudy. At the same time, the material is much stronger than glass, it is distinguished by its high strength and spectacular appearance.

In addition to the materials already described, cymbals can also be crafted from corian, metal and plastic. Such varieties are less in demand, but they are still available.

Sometimes the achievements of modern chemistry are used for the production of plates, thanks to which the most unusual materials are born. Among them, an artificial stone called Corian stands out. Thanks to its exceptional appearance and physical and operational properties, you can get the most beautiful, durable and easy-to-clean plates.

Forks, spoons and knives are usually made of metal. In the production of plates, aluminum, steel and stainless steel are used extremely rarely - they are rather decorative devices or enamelled camping options that are not recommended to be placed on the table as an everyday option. If you do not like to go on hikes, then you can store food for a short time in the existing iron containers. The same applies to stainless steel products.

Do not place such utensils in the microwave. But cast iron and copper plates have sunk into the distant past - now such items can be found only in private collections and museums.

Plastic is a cheap and practical material that is used to make reusable and disposable tableware, including plates. They are easy to wash, convenient to store, and they are cheaper than all other types of dishes.

However, for a long time, environmentalists have been claiming that plastic is unsafe for the environment: it decomposes slowly, releasing hazardous substances into soil, water and air. This led to the fact that many countries banned the use of this material for the production of tableware, in particular, This year, a law was passed banning the production and distribution of plastic tableware in the European Union - it will come into force in 2021.

How to choose high-quality tableware can be seen in the video below.