Mass produced plastic bowls are mostly made by injection molding. FDM prints lack that high heat melting process and smoothness of being formed between two pieces of polished metal, consequently shedding small particles onto whatever rubs against them as soon as they’re produced.
It doesn’t take years for a 3d printed bowl to breakdown and shed particles from use. Not to mention the fact that a grooved surface (layer lines) is going to hold in organic material that cannot be simply washed out.
You say Mass produced, but, I have never seen any group at a church manufacturing anything!
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3D printed objects are an insignificant contributor to micro-plastic pollution.
Do you drink (plastic) bottled water?
It is good to be aware of the issue but it is better when you know where microplastics come from and how they enter the biosphere.
Microplastics in the Food Chain (NIH)
What are microplastics (NOAA)
Where the Ocean’s Microplastics Come From
Other than shattered hopes… lol
I was foodsafety certified for over a decade for an inspection based job, and I’m with y’all.
The only viable paths I see are using a food safe epoxy resin that has time to fully cure and coats the surface fully with no bubbles or gaps, but people don’t typically mix and cure correctly (because it isn’t JUST a day or two) so I barely recommend that at this point.
I think the best option is to put a food container inside the 3d print.
Make the hull such that a Rubbermaid container fits in the hull of the print.
That has the added benefit of you can take your Rubbermaid bowl out of your 3d printed Halloween pumpkin and put a lid that seals on the bowl. Then you don’t find yourself with a PLA Pumpkin full of chocolate candy in the fridge. You have a dishwasher safe food container in the fridge and your decorative bowl holder in the closet until next year.