Unsafe Cookware Linked to Lead Exposure

Credit: Adobe Stock/3Ummu

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an important safety warning for consumers and retailers regarding certain types of imported cookware that may release harmful levels of lead into food. These products, often made from aluminum, brass or aluminum alloys marketed as Hindalium/Hindolium or Indalium/Indolium, were found through FDA and state testing to leach lead during cooking, making food unsafe to eat.

Why This Matters

Lead is a toxic metal with no safe level of exposure, and consuming food contaminated with lead can have serious health effects. While anyone can be affected, the risks are especially severe for young children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. Even small amounts of lead can interfere with brain development, cause learning difficulties and lower IQ, and trigger behavior changes in children. At higher levels, lead exposure may lead to fatigue, headaches, stomach pain, vomiting or neurological problems in both children and adults.

Products Identified

The FDA has tested and flagged several cookware products sold in the U.S., including the following:

• Tiger White Pure Aluminum Utensils (sold at Mannan Supermarket, Jamaica, NY)
• Silver Horse cookware (sold at Patel Brothers, Schaumburg, IL)
• JK Vallabhdas Aluminium Kadai (sold at INDIACO, Hoffman Estates, IL)

Photos and labeling information were released by the FDA. Some of these products are still being sold because the FDA has not yet identified a responsible distributor to initiate recalls.

What Consumers Should Do

• Stop using any cookware that may leach lead into food.
• Do not donate or refurbish these items, as they could continue to harm others.
• Discard them immediately to prevent further use.

If you are concerned about lead exposure, especially for children, contact your health care provider to discuss testing.

FDA is continuing surveillance to identify unsafe cookware and remove it from the U.S. market. Additional products may be added to this alert as investigations progress. The agency remains committed to protecting public health and reducing environmental contaminants like lead in food and food-contact materials.