Food-Safe

• Paint used to decorate glassware that will ultimately come in contact with your mouth or food must be food-safe. What this means is that the paint can contain no toxic ingredients or contaminants such as benzene, formaldehyde, cadmium or lead that will cause serious illness if ingested. Such paints must meet standards set forth by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Paints that are safe for use on items that come in contact with food will specify "non-toxic and food-safe" on the manufacturer's label.
  
  

The Heat Factor

• Any dinnerware that you use for eating will require cleaning whether it is ceramic, porcelain or glass. For this reason, it is necessary to use a food-safe paint that is not only waterproof, but also heat-safe and capable of standing up to a sink full of hot water or the dishwasher. Air-dry enamel paints are available for painting on glass. Sold in a variety of colors, these enamel paints are food-, dishwasher-, oven- and microwave-safe. Some food-safe enamel paint can even withstand oven firing, which gives the paint a high-gloss finish.
  
  

Lead Poisoning

• Lead poisoning is a serious health risk that is sometimes associated with eating or drinking from painted glass. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, lead is in many items that you use every day including house paint and hobby paint. Lead poisoning can lead to nerve, muscle, kidney, brain and blood vessel damage. To avoid lead exposure, always check the manufacturer's label before using paints on glass that may come in contact with your food.
  
  

Playing it Safe

• If you enjoy the look of painted glass, yet eating out of painted glassware makes you uncomfortable whether the paint is non-toxic or not, there are other options. If you are decorating clear glass plates, paint the image on the underside of the plate so that the image shines through, but does not come in contact with the food you are eating. If painting on drinking glasses, leave a ¾-inch gap between the painted design and the rim of the glasses, so that your mouth does not come in contact with the paint as you sip your favorite beverage.