Dangers of Lead : Lead Sources

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 3 of 4)

FDA has established maximum levels for leachable lead in ceramicware, and pieces that exceed these levels are subject to recall or other agency enforcement action. The levels are based on how frequently a piece of ceramicware is used, the type and temperature of the food it holds, and how long the food stays in contact with the piece. For example, cups, mugs and pitchers have the most stringent action level, 0.5 parts per million, because they can be expected to hold food longer, allowing more time for lead to leach. Also, a pitcher may be used to hold fruit juice. And a coffee mug is generally used every day to hold a hot acidic beverage, often several times a day.

Michael Kashtock, Ph.D., chief of FDA's Office of Plant and Dairy Foods and Beverages enforcement branch, says, "FDA allows use of lead glazes because they're the most durable. But we regulate them tightly to ensure their safety. Commercial manufacturers ... employ extremely strict and effective manufacturing controls that keep the lead from leaching during use." Small potters often can't control the firing of lead glazes as well, he warns, so their ceramics are more likely to leach illegal lead levels, although many do use lead-free glazes. "The best advice is to stick to commercially made products. If you are going to buy something hand-made or hand-painted, get assurance that lead-free glazes were used," he says.

Antique ceramicware may leach high levels of lead. Consumers can use a lead test kit from a hardware store on such pieces and on other hand-painted ceramicware they may already own. Avoid using such items — particularly cups, mugs or pitchers — if the glaze develops a chalky gray residue after washing.

"And you want to make sure," says Rosenthal, "that you know whether an item is for food use, or if it's for decorative use only." FDA requires high-lead-leaching decorative ceramicware to be permanently labeled that it's not for food use and may poison food. Such items bought outside the United States may not be so labeled, potentially posing serious risk if used for food.

Other Lead Sources

Tin-coated lead foil capsules on wine bottles:

FDA banned these capsules in 1996 after a study by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms found that 3 to 4 percent of wines examined could become contaminated during pouring from lead residues deposited on the mouth of the bottle by the foil capsule.

U.S. winemakers stopped using lead foils before the ban, but older bottles with the foils may still be around. "Remove the entire foil before using such wines," says attorney Martin Stutsman, a consumer safety officer in FDA's dairy foods and beverages enforcement branch. "Then before uncorking the bottle, wipe its neck and rim and the top of the cork with a clean wet cloth."

Lead-soldered food cans:

Despite U.S. food canners' voluntary elimination of lead solder and a 1995 FDA ban on lead-soldered cans, requiring their removal from shelves by June 1996, this source of lead in the diet hasn't been fully eliminated. Some countries still use lead-soldered cans for food, and these food items may still occasionally be imported, albeit illegally, into the United States. Also, some small vendors may still stock old inventories of food in lead-soldered cans. In fact, a 1997 FDA investigation found more than 100 such cans in ethnic grocery stores in California alone.

Glassware:

Lead crystal glassware may leach lead. "The crystalware industry has established voluntary lead-leaching limits for crystalware," says Kashtock, "that most foreign and domestic manufacturers follow." As a precaution, children and pregnant women should avoid frequent use of crystal glassware. Lead crystal baby bottles should never be used.

Also, FDA intends to issue industry guidance in 1998 to prohibit use of lead-based (and cadmium-based) pigments for decorating the lip rim area of glassware, says Kashtock. "Use of the pigments may pose only a negligible risk, but it is avoidable."

Calcium products:

Some people have expressed concern about lead in calcium supplements. Lead is a common contaminant in calcium from such natural sources as dolomitic limestone and oyster shells, but levels vary considerably from trace amounts to higher levels. However, FDA's Carrington says, "Since calcium intakes decrease lead absorption, supplements that correct low calcium intakes may reduce lead absorption, even though they contain small amounts of lead."

Lead is also found in other calcium sources. For example, lead in milk is usually too low to measure, but FDA's yearly Total Diet Study of foods in grocery stores sometimes detects lead in milk, says Carrington.

FDA has been petitioned to establish a tolerance level for lead in calcium sources used in dietary supplements. According to Robert Moore, Ph.D., of the agency's Office of Special Nutritionals regulatory branch, two petitions propose different tolerance levels — one similar to current industry standards and one considerably lower. FDA is reviewing the issues raised in the two documents.

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.