So you have bought that beautiful piece of ceramic tableware and sits right in the middle of the table, showing off. Your guests drool over it and you cant stop admiring it. But is there a monstrous truth lurking behind those good looks ? Here is the truth.
For most people, tableware alone does not pose a significant risk of lead exposure. Other sources of lead, such as lead in paint or soil, are much more likely to be a problem. In some cases, however, lead in tableware can be a serious health threat. Some dishes contain enough lead to cause severe lead poisoning. Even dishes with lower lead levels may contribute to a person’s overall lead exposure.
Lead is especially harmful to children, pregnant women, and unborn babies. Lead accumulates in your body, so even small amounts can pose a health hazard over time. Lead has long been used in ceramic ware, both in glazes and in decorations. When used in a glaze, lead gives a smooth, glasslike finish that allows bright colors and decorative patterns underneath to show through. It provides strength and keeps moisture from penetrating into the dish. In decorations, lead is often associated with rich or intense colors.
Lead can be released from the glaze or decoration on the surface of the dish and pass into the food or drink in the dish. This is called “leaching.” Then, when you eat the food, the lead gets into your body. The amount of lead that leaches from a dish depends on the amount of lead in the dish, the type of glazing, how the dish is used, what kind of food is put in it, and how long food is left in the dish.
The safest practice is not to use tableware that you are unsure of with food or drink. In particular, if you do not know whether a dish contains lead, do not use it in your everyday routine. This is especially true for tableware used by children, pregnant women, or nursing mothers. Here are some general guidelines:
- Do not heat food in dishes that contain or might contain lead. Cooking or microwaving speeds the lead-leaching process.
- Do not store foods in dishes that contain or might contain lead. The longer food stays in contact with a dish surface that leaches lead, the more lead will be drawn into the food.
- Do not put highly acidic foods or liquids in dishware that contains or might contain lead. Acidic foods and drinks leach lead out of dishes much faster than non-acid foods. Common acidic foods include citrus fruits, apples, tomatoes, soy sauce, and salad dressing. Many drinks are also acidic, such as fruit juices, sodas (especially cola drinks), alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea. Common non-acidic foods include rice or potatoes; water and milk are non-acidic drinks. Any combination of these three factors can increase the risk of exposing you to lead. An example would be storing spaghetti with tomato sauce in a lead- glazed ceramic dish, then heating it in the same dish in the microwave.
However there is a niche market for lead free ceramic ware available which often doesn’t come in bright hues and is almost always glazed at high temperature thus negating the need to put lead in their glazes. But always remember to ask your shopkeeper before you purchase a ceramic product for daily use.
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