A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that a family of five in New York City suffers from lead poisoning, which can be caused by their meals.
The case was opened after dangerously high levels of lead were found in the blood of a three-year-old boy, which prompted further investigation, which revealed that all five members were suffering from high blood lead levels. While the family did not fully cooperate in a CDC investigation into the matter, the agency believes ceramic plates purchased in Mexico were the cause.
Now authorities are warning Americans to beware of dishes they purchased from other countries as it is possible they could contain dangerous levels of lead that can poison people and cause severe problems in children.
After first discovering that a three-year-old family member was suffering from high blood lead levels, CDC researchers tested the rest of the family and found that they all had dangerously high levels of lead exposure. After replacing the ceramic plates believed to be the cause, family levels returned to normal.
Routine screening in 2017 revealed that the three-year-old had a blood lead level of seven micrograms per deciliter (ug/dl), which was a tolerable CDC level above five µg/dl but not the required 10 µg/dl. run. search for a home.
A year later, in 2018, after the boy’s family received information on how to avoid lead exposure at home, the three-year-old was retested and found to have a blood lead level of five µg/dl.
On the recommendation of a general practitioner, another scan was performed in 2020. This time, the family’s two adult children were also given blood tests to look for lead.
“Traditional ceramic ware from around the world has been found to contain lead at levels thousands of times higher than regulatory limits in the United States,” researchers wrote. “The lead used for aesthetic and other purposes on the ceramic ware’s glaze or paint can transfer to foods or drinks that are prepared, served, or stored in these products, placing users at risk for lead exposure.”
Thankfully, the family identified the lead problem before it was too late. Now, they’ve been able to mostly heal from the problem and move on with their lives.
‘AWM’ added these details:
Now the CDC is issuing a warning to all Americans to avoid buying dishware from countries like Ecuador, Mexico, Morocco, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, which do not have the same strict standards as the United States of America when it comes to lead contamination.
In addition to using the Mexican plates, the family also said they used foreign spices. However, they did not provide samples of the spices to the CDC, so it is not clear if the lead was also present in them.
Lead poisoning can harm an individual’s nervous system. If that happens, they can suffer from cognitive and memory problems. If the problem is severe and not managed, it can lead to a person’s death.
Source: AWM