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Warning says terra cotta pots leach lead Pottery poses poisoning danger By SUSAN JAY Local and state health officials are warning consumers not to cook or eat out of decorative terra cotta bean pots, dishes and pitchers imported from Mexico. When used to prepare or serve food or drink, they leach dangerously high amounts of lead. "We are so concerned," said Marilyn Scott, industrial hygienist for the Oregon Health Division. "These levels are so high." In July, a resident from Walla Walla County in Washington complained to the county's health department about finding silver flakes in her beans, which had been cooked in a terra cotta pot bought at a Mexican grocery store in Milton-Freewater in Eastern Oregon. The pottery is made of red, reddish-brown, tan or white clay and is glazed on the inside and outside. It is often hand-painted with colorful designs and flowers on the outside. Some have a dark green glaze, and all have a rustic appearance and are highly porous. Washington alerted Oregon's health division, which conducted a small investigation. The division collected 13 pieces of the same type of pottery from stores in a variety of locations, including Portland, Medford and Woodburn. The Department of Environmental Quality laboratory conducted the same leach tests for lead that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration uses. Of the pieces tested, including pitchers, condiment bowls and a salad plate, 85 percent had lead levels 50 to 900 times higher than the safety limits set by the FDA, Scott said. The results were turned over to the FDA, and health warnings in English and Spanish were sent out statewide. The FDA-approved limits for lead levels are 0.5 parts per million in cups or pitchers, to 3.0 ppm in plates, bowls, and serving dishes. One of the items tested came from El Gallo, a Mexican grocery store on West Main Street in Medford. Local health officials talked to the owners, who said they warn people the pottery is only decorative and not for cooking or serving food. On the bottom of the pots is an ink stamp that warns in English not to use the pots for food. A Mexican grocery store in Phoenix had been selling the pots, but an employee said they no longer could find a supplier. The employee also said people were using them for cooking. "Our primary concern is the vulnerability of children, and the need for blood lead screenings of children to identify asymptomatic cases," Scott said. The symptoms of lead poisoning can be vague. They include stomach ache, headache, vomiting and constipation. Other signs, especially in children, are hyperactivity and learning difficulties. "It's a very silent condition, which can have very serious long-term effects if it doesn't get corrected," said Yvonne Chilcoat, Jackson County public health nurse. Children can be tested for lead with a blood sample sent to the state public health laboratory. Call the Jackson County public health department, 776-7335. Pottery can be tested with a lead test kit, which costs about $5 and is sold at local hardware stores, including Black Bird. The FDA regulates imported pottery, and certain items can exceed the safety level if they are designed for decorative use and are permanently labeled as not for food use. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA