Before you pour, stir, or simmer this season, the FDA says one popular pan may have "significant levels of lead."
With holiday cooking—and gift giving—in full swing, you might be reaching for all sorts of pots and pans. Each one has its important place and role in the kitchen, but here’s a word of caution if you recently purchased a particular piece of cookware: it might be part of a recall effort due to hazardous levels of lead, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In an initial report from the FDA, Shata Traders Inc. voluntarily recalled its Chef brand Milk Pan due to the likelihood of the cookware being “contaminated with significant levels of lead,” which may then leach into food. The recall was initiated on November 19 but recently designated as a Class II recall on December 12, per a new FDA enforcement report. A Class II recall signifies an event that could pose “temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences,” but the probability of serious consequences is low.
Additional details include:
- Chef brand Milk Pan 24cm
- No code details provided
- Quantity: 145 boxes
The milk pans were sold individually at the retail level but came six pans to a box, equaling 870 pans in total. The original FDA recall notice includes a photo of the product to help with identification.
The affected milk pans were distributed in six states: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia. The contaminated pans were discovered when the FDA collected product samples from a retail store, which led to a product analysis. The results found the pans “contain leachable lead that is harmful for human consumption,” according to the initial recall notice. No illnesses had been reported to date.
Lead is toxic to humans—even small amounts of lead exposure can cause serious health issues, especially in children younger than 6, according to the Mayo Clinic. In adults, symptoms of lead poisoning can include high blood pressure, joint and muscle pain, difficulties with memory or concentration, headaches, abdominal pain, mood disorders, reduced sperm count or abnormal sperm, and miscarriage, stillbirth, or premature birth.
Shata Traders Inc, based out of Brooklyn, New York, manufactures and distributes traditional Pakistani food products as well as utensils and cookware. Milk pans are small pans that can be used to heat milk, sauces, or gravies; melt butter or chocolate; or make custards, among other things.
Per details provided by the FDA, consumers are urged to stop using the milk pan if they have it and return it to the original place of purchase for a full refund.
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