Post #686215 by TikiTacky on Wed, Jul 17, 2013 12:00 PM

Here's an interesting article: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/04/several-months-ago-gerald-omalley/#.Uebn4j2ARAo

"The results of the [2010] study were shocking. O’Malley and his fellow researchers found that 22 out of the 87 items purchased from stores within the Chinatown district, approximately 25 percent, returned positive results for lead. In comparison, 5 out of the 49 items purchased in stores in neighborhoods outside of Chinatown, or 10 percent, contained lead. "

"O’Malley performed additional tests on 25 of the ceramic pieces that tested positive for lead contamination to establish how high the levels, in fact, were and to what extent the lead could leach into food placed in the items to later be consumed. Researchers noted that three plates and two spoons were found to be leaching lead in quantities that significantly exceeded the levels permitted by FDA. Specifically, one of the ceramic plates tested leached lead at 145 parts per million, a rate far beyond the limit of 2 parts per million imposed by FDA."

The FDA imposed limits on lead in 1971, but before that there really weren't any limits. Any mugs made before 1970 (hah!) should be considered suspect.

More information available here: http://www.ceh.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=435&Itemid=274

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2013-07-17 13:30 ]