These Cookware Brands Were Flagged by the FDA for Lead

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has added to its list of cookware that may be leaching lead into your food. 

In September, the agency updated its previous warning, initially published on August 13, stating it identified “Three additional cookware products that may leach lead into food when used for cooking or food storage.” Here’s what you need to know about the warning and what to do if you have affected cookware in your home. 

What did the initial FDA report find?

In the August notice, the FDA warned retailers and consumers not to sell or use certain imported cookware that may leach significant levels of lead (Pb) into food. “The cookware  was made with aluminum, brass, and aluminum alloys known as “Hindalium/Hindolium or Indalium/Indolium,” which were tested by the FDA and state partners, and found to “leach lead into food,” thereby “making food unsafe.” It added that “Young children, women of child-bearing age, and those who are breastfeeding may be at higher risk for potential adverse events after eating food cooked using these products.” 

Which cookware products were added to the FDA warning?

The update list includes the following products:

Brand: Kadai/Karahi (Tiger White, Pure Aluminium Utensils Tm, Saraswati Strips Pvt. Ltd.)
Retailer: Mannan Supermarket, 166-11 Hillside Ave., 1st FL, Jamaica, NY 11432

Brand: Silver Horse (7 6554273084 5 Aluminium Mathar Kadai 26)
Retailer: Patel Brothers, 830 W. Golf Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60194-1328

Brand: Silver Horse (7 6554272863 7 Aluminium Milk Pan 4)
Retailer: Patel Brothers, 830 W. Golf Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60194-1328

Brand: JK Vallabhdas (Aluminium Kadai India Bazaar #3 2000000772)
Retailer: INDIACO, 15 Golf Ctr., #17, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169-4910

Why does lead exposure matter?

The FDA further explained that lead is “toxic to humans and can affect people of any age or health status, and there is no known safe level of exposure to lead. Even low levels of lead exposure can cause serious health problems, particularly in children and fetuses.” Even at low levels, “children may not have obvious symptoms but can still experience trouble learning, low IQ, and behavior changes. At higher levels of lead exposure, people may experience fatigue, headache, stomach pain, vomiting, or neurologic changes.” 

The Cleveland Clinic also explained that in adults, lead poisoning can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and reproductive issues. There is no “safe” level of lead exposure.

What should you do if you own any of this cookware? 

The FDA is encouraging consumers to check their homes for the products in this alert and to “throw away any cookware that may be able to leach lead into food when used for cooking or food storage.” It also advised that you should not donate any of this cookware.

Retailers and distributors, the FDA added, “are responsible for ensuring cookware sold and/or distributed for use in contact with food is safe for their intended use and complies with all FDA regulations.”