The dietary lead exposure for infants and children today is about one-tenth what it was10 years ago. In its continuing program to reduce the public's exposure to dietary lead, FDA has revised its guidelines to lower the levels of lead that may leach from ceramic ware used to hold and store food. The revised levels reflect the agency's increased concern about the health consequences of human exposure to lead. FDA is also advising ceramic ware manufacturers to maintain careful quality control to minimize or eliminate the leaching of lead from their products. While the agency believes that most ceramic ware does not present a significant health hazard, it is concerned that some products can contribute lead to the diet.
Consumers can take precautions to minimize lead exposure from ceramic ware.
Lead has long been recognized as a toxic substance. Infants and children are most sensitive to lead exposure. Several recent studies have indicated that lead causes behavioral and performance deficiencies in children exposed to the substance at levels below those that produce physical effects. Pregnant women should avoid lead exposure because of the sensitivity of the fetus to lead. Recent studies have shown that exposure of the fetus to low levels of lead in the mother's blood can impair fetal development and cause low birth weight.