Lead Glaze in Dinnerware

Q: I’m writing because I’m concerned about using old dishes that might have lead glaze. I have been buying single pieces of American-made restaurant china online. Some of it’s old and some new. I want to use the bowls and plates as my everyday dishes, but how can I tell if any of the dishes have lead glaze? When did manufacturers stop using it?

A: Almost all everyday ceramic dishes produced in the United States before 1980 were covered with a glaze that contained lead. That’s because a lead glaze produces a shiny, smooth, attractive surface. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration started testing dinnerware for lead in the early 1970s. In 1980 it set limits on lead in ceramic ware, and in 1991 the limits were tightened. That doesn’t mean older dishes aren’t safe, because if they were fired at a high temperature for a long period and if they’re not cracked, chipped or worn, the lead is sealed into the glaze and won’t leach onto the surface. Many experts think it’s OK to eat off old dishes if the food is not highly acidic, but that it is not safe to use the dishes to store or cook food. Others suggest you buy a lead-testing kit at a hardware or home-improvement store?but the tests aren’t very reliable at detecting low levels. If you want to be extremely careful, eat off dishes made after 1980 and display older ones. One other tip: Don’t eat off highly colored and glazed ceramic or terra-cotta dishes made in foreign countries or by craftspeople here. Although U.S. Customs officials check imported ware, they don’t check every piece.