Lead and cadmium were the main ingredients in the paints and glazes found in pre-1970s-era enamelware, casserole dishes, mugs, serving platters, vases and more, so avoid using old tableware to heat or store food or liquids.
Whether vintage enamelware has lead varies. Some pieces do contain lead, while others don't. To find out about the content of a particular piece, consult trusted online resources to learn more about its materials. You can also purchase lead testing kits to detect the metal.
Certain brightly colored enamel products may also contain harmful materials like lead or cadmium, particularly in vintage cookware or brands from countries with lax safety standards.
Many current enamels imported from overseas are still made with lead, which also poses reproductive risks. Rossol notes that "lead stored in your bones from previous exposures re-enters the blood stream during pregnancy" ("Pregnancy and the Crafts Professional" 21).
Consumers can buy lead-testing kits in hardware stores or online. The kits contain swabs with instructions on proper use of the swabs and reading of the results. In most cases, the consumer will rub the swab on the food-contacting surface of the pottery.
Many beloved and sought-after vintage brands — like Pyrex, Lenox, Anchor, Liberty Blue, Spode — have manufactured tableware with lead, and while they're not all contaminated, it's worth keeping in mind that you should double check anything made before 2011.
One concern with enameled cast iron is the potential presence of lead or cadmium in the enamel coating. These toxic metals can pose health risks if they leach into food.
Vintage enamelware can be dated by the heft of the piece. Enamelware crafted in the early 20th Century is noticeably heavier than ones made after World War II. A tinny sound produced from tapping the bottom of a pot can indicate it was likely made in the 1970s.
Is it safe to eat food out of enamelware? It's one of the safest way to eat or drink, to be honest.
Lead isn't intrinsically a part of enamel cookware; however, lead was a common ingredient in glazes and paints because it brightened the color. Vintage enamel cookware may contain lead in the glaze, especially in brightly colored red, orange, or yellow colors.
Older cookware: Some old or badly burned stainless steel pans may allow chemicals to seep into food as well. And if you're scouring yard sales or second-hand stores for pans that are nonstick, beware that they may contain Teflon. In general, it's best to opt for newer cookware when replacing a pan.
Enamelware was the first mass-produced American kitchenware. Production began in the 1870s, and continued through the 1930s. Items such as pots, kettles baking tins, and ladles were stamped from thin sheets of iron, steel, or aluminum, then coated with enamel, which was fused to the metal in a very hot oven.
Lead and cadmium were the main ingredients in the paints and glazes found in pre-1970s-era enamelware, casserole dishes, mugs, serving platters, vases and more, so avoid using old tableware to heat or store food or liquids.
Lead can be found in some vintage and antique glassware and dishes—such as leaded crystal, brass, pewter, and ceramics. Lead can also be found in some new imported ceramics and glazed pottery. Unless you know these items are lead-free, assume they contain lead.
Antique Enameled Pendant/Locket. Enamel is a type of allochromatic glass that consists usually of quartz sand, iron oxide, potassium oxide (potash), and borax (flux). These components form a transparent and colorless fondant after firing at temperatures between 700 and 900 degrees Celsius.
You can enjoy any and all kinds of drinks in your enamel mug. You could even have it hot or cold, without a worry! 1. Tea, coffee and food can stain the inner enamel coating.
USA Enamel™ is the only collection of colorful enameled cast iron made in the USA today—and that's something we're pretty proud of.
NEVER use a product when the interior enamel has chipped. It is no longer safe to use and you should immediately CEASE USING the product. Chips from damaged enamel could cause personal injury if ingested.
While we can't comment on other brands, Le Creuset have been extremely vocal about this and state that while used in some of their products (to create their iconic colours) the amount used is well below the safety limit, and some of their enamelled cast iron are both lead free and cadmium free.
“The most nontoxic cookware that you can buy is stainless steel, cast iron or carbon steel; things that don't have a coating on them,” says Alexis Pisciotta, culinary purchasing and events manager and cookware consultant for Food Network.
Testing for Lead
These are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at your local hardware store or online. Lead test kits use chemicals that change color when they react with lead. To use them, follow the instructions and swab a sample of your dishes.
Your grandmother's antique china or her old mixing bowls can contain lead. Leaching lead from antique china may be toxic. This is the case with many pieces of antique and vintage china. Many of the old glazes used on antique or vintage china contain some level of lead.
The only way to find out how much lead is in your dishware is to send it to a laboratory for testing. This is expensive and may damage the dishware. Some people use color-change test kits, available at hardware stores, to check for lead. The test kits do not tell you the exact amount of lead in the dish.