# oh-no! does lead have a sweet taste to it?



## BunnySlippers (Oct 30, 2007)

I was washing my dishes just now and stopped to inspect my soup ladle (of many years;stainless steel made in Japan). I noticed its divets(where the ladle attached to the handle) were not like the rest of the stainless steel.
They are dull and look like a soft metal. So I licked one because I thought I had heard that lead necklesses had a sweetish taste.
Well anyway,the divots tasted sweet
 








Have I been serving my dd and myself a helping of lead with our soups? I usually let the ladle sit in the pot too








ugh!

If this is lead I need to check all my utensils and I would like to send out a PSA about this.


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## AngelaB (Nov 20, 2001)

I dont know but I would like to know. its been freaking me out lately that there are sso many toxins around us and we dont even know it.








Angela


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## Kimmiepie (Dec 21, 2006)

Hmmm I thought stainless steel was the safer alternative? Which is why I got a bunch of it for Christmas!!







: Please let us know what you find out.


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## mightymoo (Dec 6, 2003)

Yes, lead tastes sweet: http://chemistry.about.com/b/2008/01...ar-of-lead.htm

This is why its such a concern in windowsills, because when a small child finds it sweet, they do chew on them.

I would stop using it immediately and get lead testing done on your family.


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## Kimmiepie (Dec 21, 2006)

OMG how on EARTH do you go about testing *everything* in your house for lead? I'm all freaked out now thinking there's lead when I shower, eat, breathe. AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


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## BunnySlippers (Oct 30, 2007)

Quoted from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...le/002461.htm: "More lead will leach into hot liquids like coffee, tea, and soups than into cold beverages. Any dishware that has a dusty or chalky gray residue on the glaze after it has been washed should not be used."

They are a chaulky grey. Anyone not sure what the 'divots' are I am talking about they are little plug type things that attaches my ladle to my handle. Only the divots are lead, but they are big divots and there is two. I feel so sick















I am going to check the rest of the utensils now.

I have a Dr's appt tommorow anyway (what a coincidence first visit in about 4yrs).


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## kama'aina mama (Nov 19, 2001)

I think you can buy a cheap, simple lead test at most hardware stores and check your ladle.


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## Maple Leaf Mama (Jul 2, 2004)

I'm so sick of having to worry about this!
Last week it was worrying that our Martha Stewart dishes might have lead b/c of the lawsuit against her (Made in china)

This week it was taking a loot bag toy away from DD b/c I'm pretty positive a part of the dino spinning top is lead. Not sure I want to lick it.
I rubbed it on paper and it did leave a gray mark.

Enough already!


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## BunnySlippers (Oct 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kama'aina mama* 
I think you can buy a cheap, simple lead test at most hardware stores and check your ladle.

I will do that. That will give a more conclusive answer even though I am fairly certain it is lead. ugh.
It is however the only utensil that seems to have a lead part in it. Hopefully the neighbours wernt watching as I intently scanned then licked parts my utensils and dropped them in the sink


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## SevenVeils (Aug 28, 2006)

I threw out all of our ceramic plates and replaced them with Corelle. My partner scoffed and said "I really doubt that they are selling plates with lead on them at stores like Target" (not sure why he said Target, I don't even live near one so I don't shop there).

I think a lot of people still think this way: that if you buy things at a 'reputable' place, they are safe.

I think that comes from a really distorted sense of trust in the government and inspections etc.

Anyway, I feel much safer now. The bowls are next. The only ones that I'm going to spare are the few that were made for me by a good friend years ago. I know for a fact (because he and I discussed it at the time) that he did not use lead glazes, he was very well aware of the problem. Ironically, my partner doesn't believe me and thinks that those are the only potentially lead-laden items. Of course he is sure that the mugs which he bought at Starbucks are perfectly safe


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## Kimmiepie (Dec 21, 2006)

http://www.cedoburlington.org/housin...n%20Glazes.pdf

OMG I have those plates!!! I recently got rid of all our plastic dishware to this "safer" kind. I am so annoyed!! I'm wasting money trying to keep us safe, this is getting out of hand.

What kind of dishware can I buy now?! I can't afford to have some guy come out to test stuff, and I can buy one of those kits but I'd have to purchase the dishes first, which doesn't make much sense.







:

ETA: is Corelle a lead free brand?


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## frontierpsych (Jun 11, 2006)

lead detector? I'm gonna have to get me one of those! I'm moving into a new house soon, and I know some of the houses around there still have lead paint.


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## BunnySlippers (Oct 30, 2007)

corelle dishes are ok, the ceramic stuff has a low level of lead in the glaze. That was what I got out of the correlle thread a few months ago.

I have correlle. They had better be good. I agree all these toxins coming to light are horrifying. No wonder the whole world is sick.


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## SevenVeils (Aug 28, 2006)

Corelle is glass. Specifically, it is pyrex (I think?) so there is no glaze, thus no lead


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## Kimmiepie (Dec 21, 2006)

Okay, GREAT to know. Thanks so much!!!


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## SevenVeils (Aug 28, 2006)

Okay, it isn't Pyrex but it is glass. So, no lead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corelle


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## Meiri (Aug 31, 2002)

I think the word you want is RIVETS.

A divet is a chunk of grass that's gotten knocked out during golf, or any such dent/depression in something.

There's a spoon I haven't been using, that we will never use again...grey, gets chalky white "blooms"... OTOH, DH tells me that aluminum does the same thing. Could be an aluminum issue more than a lead issue.


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## BunnySlippers (Oct 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Meiri* 
I think the word you want is RIVETS.

A divet is a chunk of grass that's gotten knocked out during golf, or any such dent/depression in something.

There's a spoon I haven't been using, that we will never use again...grey, gets chalky white "blooms"... OTOH, DH tells me that aluminum does the same thing. Could be an aluminum issue more than a lead issue.

ahh, rivets







blame it on the metals in my brain tissue









aluminum would be better. Does aluminum taste sweet?
I know licking the lead is not a great idea, but I have been cooking with this for a few years, whats one more lick


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## bellabear (Oct 16, 2007)

I got glass dishes from Ikea.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Kimmiepie* 
http://www.cedoburlington.org/housin...n%20Glazes.pdf

OMG I have those plates!!! I recently got rid of all our plastic dishware to this "safer" kind. I am so annoyed!! I'm wasting money trying to keep us safe, this is getting out of hand.

What kind of dishware can I buy now?! I can't afford to have some guy come out to test stuff, and I can buy one of those kits but I'd have to purchase the dishes first, which doesn't make much sense.







:

ETA: is Corelle a lead free brand?


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## Kimmiepie (Dec 21, 2006)

Quote:

I got glass dishes from Ikea.
Which ones? Are they thin and easily breakable?


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## HoneymoonBaby (Mar 31, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BunnySlippers* 
I will do that. That will give a more conclusive answer even though I am fairly certain it is lead. ugh.
It is however the only utensil that seems to have a lead part in it. Hopefully the neighbours wernt watching as I intently scanned then licked parts my utensils and dropped them in the sink









Buy a flipping test already! LICKING things you suspect to be contaminated with lead is not a wise method of testing, regardless of how effective it might be. You are scaring me with this post!


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## AngelaB (Nov 20, 2001)

I hate to just vent but it just makes me sick that we are unknowingly poisoning ourselves and our families so someone can make some money. It makes me sad, guilty and really pissed that I should spend more money on things that I cant afford right now. I bought our ladels and metal cooking spoons at the DAV and they are stainless but I jsut assumed that the rivets were stainless as well.

Ironically the hardware and home improvement stores have been out of lead tests lately because of the high demand.








Angela


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## Kimmiepie (Dec 21, 2006)

I agree Angela. I'm driving my dh nuts with this, while at the same time driving myself nuts because I can't afford this. So I sit, wondering, if this or that has lead, or our regular mattresses are poisoning us as we sleep at night etc. It SUCKS.


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## AngelaB (Nov 20, 2001)

Oh the mattresses......That one really gets me. Just the carpet in our rental drives me nuts. I know its harboring all kinds of weird dusts and allergens. Shampoo, my chapstick ect.
Angela


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## dachshundqueen (Dec 17, 2004)

OK so what exactly are we talking about here?

Are we talking about the circles and grey that your spoon leaves in the bottom of the coffee mug? Is that where the spoon has over time removed the glaze and is exposing the lead in the inside, or what?

I googled and googled but couldn't find a picture that shows what you're discussing.

Liz


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## Kimmiepie (Dec 21, 2006)

Quote:

Oh the mattresses......That one really gets me. Just the carpet in our rental drives me nuts. I know its harboring all kinds of weird dusts and allergens. Shampoo, my chapstick ect.
Yep! We're trying to look at organic mattresses with our tax return money, but egads!! have you seen the prices on those babies? And we would need at least 3.

I worry about our carpet too (we're renting). Twice since we have lived here I have rented one of those carpet cleaner things and filled it with nothing but vinegar and water. Hoping that helped. But who knows.

I've been buying all natural shampoos and other personal products for a while now. I use the Burt's Bees chapstick b/c I can get it at the grocery store. LMK if you want ideas for the shampoo and such.

Quote:

re we talking about the circles and grey that your spoon leaves in the bottom of the coffee mug? Is that where the spoon has over time removed the glaze and is exposing the lead in the inside, or what?
I too, am wondering about this...because some of my mugs have those.


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## BunnySlippers (Oct 30, 2007)

For those still unsure of what part I am talking about. My soup ladle is a two piece ladle (I tried ot find and example online but failed). The handle is one peice and the ladle is one piece. They are joined by laying the handle inside the ladle part. They have two metal plugs/rivets that keep them attached.
I noticed yesterday that the plugs are definately NOT stainless steel, I suspect lead because of the colour and the taste. I am hopefully wrong as someone suggested they could be aluminum.
I am going to try and find a kit to test.

You people are freaking me out with the matress comments. I must have missed that thread. Are old matresses dangerous too? Ours are old. I was going to replace them with new when I could afford it. Perhaps I will have to wait awhile and get organic?


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## HoneymoonBaby (Mar 31, 2004)

BunnySlippers, this is OT, but I love your sig line.


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