Anyone know what this sign means?

[New Judge]

I have noticed on a number of my kitchen utensils (a plastic chopping board, some microwave cookware) a small sign which looks like a wine glass with a fork alongside.

I thought it may be to do with being dishwasher safe, but I've found another sign which denotes this.

Any ideas?

[4candles]

The glass/fork symbol does mean 'dishwasher safe'. What does the other one look like?

[heathfield]

The Food Standards Agency states that the European symbol for approved food contact materials is a fork and wineglass.

[New Judge]

The other symbol (why on earth did I call it a sign? - must have been half asleep) looks like an open dishwasher and is sometimes accompanied by the words "top shelf".

Your answer seems to make sense, heathfield. But why on earth do we need a "European Symbol" for an approved food contact material on a microwave dish? Are EU citizens so dopey that they need to be told they should not cook rice in a disused oil drum?

I've just had a look at the Food Standard Agency's website and I now understand why membership of the EU costs the UK so much money!

Thanks to you both for your answers.

[markja]

we need a european symbol 'cos 'big brother' says we do.

[heathfield]

I suppose it's because foodstuffs can absorb harmful things from certain materials, then you'd ingest them without realising it.. By having the symbol, you can be reassured that this won't happen with whatever item you're using for storing, preparing, cooking, or eating from.

As an example, cheeses and fats will absorb the elastomers from cling film, so the advice is to not have the cling film in direct contact with these products for any length of time. (And heat increases the rate of absorbtion).