Is PLA plastic food safe?
3 min
PLA is a biodegradable thermoplastic and a common material in FDM printing. It has a low extrusion temperature and is inexpensive. In addition, because PLA is extracted from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugar cane, it has a low impact on the environment during the 3D printing process. So can PLA materials be used in 3D printing to make parts that can contact food? This article will discuss the food safety of PLA and what you need to pay attention to.
Related Reading: https://jlc3dp.com/blog/why-does-3d-printing-need-ventilation
Is PLA food safe?
PLA is generally considered food safe and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for food contact applications. This means that as long as it is used according to recommended guidelines, PLA can be used to safely store and hold food.
In addition, there are several factors to consider:
1. Temperature considerations
Compared to traditional plastics, PLA has a lower melting point, usually around 60°C (140°F). This means that PLA containers should not be used to hold hot food or liquids, as they may deform or melt. In addition, PLA should not be used in microwaves or traditional ovens.
2. Additives and colorants
Pure PLA is food safe, but additives and colorants used in some PLA products may not be. Make sure any PLA products you use for food are labeled food safe and do not contain harmful additives.
https://clevercreations.org/is-pla-filament-food-safe-safety/
Food safety issues in 3D printing
Even if the PLA material used is food safe, the 3D printing process may still introduce food safety risks:
Hot end contamination: The printer's hot end may deposit a small amount of material during the extrusion of the filament, causing cross contamination. It is recommended to use a hot end specifically for food safe materials and only use it for food grade safe filament printing, and make sure it is made of stainless steel to avoid lead contamination and is also easier to clean.
Layer lines and pores: Layer lines and surface pores created during FDM printing may breed bacteria, increasing the risk of food poisoning. In addition, PLA is not heat resistant and cannot be sterilized at high temperatures.
Suggestions for improving food safety
Sealing and coating: Use food grade epoxy to seal the surface of 3D printed objects, fill layer lines and gaps, reduce the risk of bacterial growth, and make it easier to clean. Please make sure that the epoxy resin must also be food grade.
Proper cleaning: Do not use PLA objects with hot food or liquids, and do not wash them in the dishwasher to prevent deformation or melting. Non-abrasive soap and warm water can be used to clean PLA prints.
In summary, PLA materials can be used in food contact applications when used correctly. However, users must pay attention to temperature limits, additive ingredients, and potential risks in the 3D printing process. If you are looking for high-quality PLA materials and professional 3D printing services, JLC3DP provides reliable solutions. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to contact our support team.
Keep Learning
Best 3D Printing Filament Dry Boxes 2026 & DIY Tips
Is your filament betraying you? If your prints are stringy, brittle, or making weird popping noises mid-print, it might not be your slicer settings, it could be moisture. That’s where a 3D printer filament dry box saves the day.Whether you're printing PLA in a humid room or tackling Nylon and TPU, a dry box helps prevent moisture damage and ensures consistent, high-quality prints. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about filament dry boxes, including why they matter, how to make on......
Is MJF Suitable for Production Parts? A Practical Engineer’s Guide
Why Engineers Choose MJF for Production Parts MJF didn’t rise just as a prototyping machine. It climbed straight into real manufacturing. The making of HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printed parts uses a fine-grained nylon powder fused with a chemical fusing agent and precision infrared heating. That means consistent, repeatable parts without visible stepping or layered fragility. Dimensional accuracy typically sits around ±0.2 mm for small features, depending on geometry, orientation, and part size, tight en......
Why MJF Nylon Parts Feel Weak: Strength vs Stiffness vs Finish
If MJF nylon parts feel weaker than expected, it’s usually not because “MJF isn’t strong.” It’s because strength, stiffness, and surface finish are being lumped together as one vague idea of quality. They’re not the same thing. A part can be stiff but brittle. Strong but visually rough. Smooth but mechanically average. Understanding how these properties actually behave in Multi Jet Fusion, and how different nylon grades shift the balance, is the difference between parts that just look good and parts t......
PA12 vs PA12s 3D Printing Comparison: The Truth!
PA12 and PA12S are basically the two standard nylons you’re going to run into most, particularly in Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). At first glance, they may appear interchangeable because both are engineering-grade nylon 12 powders, both deliver strong mechanical performance, and both are common choices for functional parts. In practice, however, their behavior differs in ways that matter to engineers. Comparing PA12 vs PA12S is not about asking which is “better” or “worse......
MJF Tolerances & Dimensional Accuracy: What Engineers Expect
Warped edges, misaligned holes, and functional misfits are often caused by variations in MJF tolerances rather than random printing errors. If you’re printing with HP Multi Jet Fusion and running into tolerance or dimensional issues, it’s rarely “bad luck.” It’s almost always something happening inside the MJF process itself. MJF is known for repeatability, but tolerances don’t “take care of themselves.” Shrinkage, thermal gradients, part orientation, and feature design quietly stack the odds for—or a......
Glass-Filled Nylon 3D Printing: Master It in 2 Minutes
What Is Glass-Filled Nylon? Glass-filled nylon is basically a nylon base reinforced with chopped glass fibers, and that addition completely changes how the material handles a real-world load. In the shop, that reinforcement is what stands between a part that slowly creeps, flexes, or warps, and one that actually holds its shape and tolerances over time. It’s the reason you see it used so often for structural brackets, housings, and fixtures, basically anything that has to survive constant heat, vibrat......