Crystal Decanters Off-Limits

What about drinking wine from those beautiful crystal glasses you got as a wedding present and are afraid to use anyway, for fear of breakage? Tests have shown that the amount of lead transferred into wine by drinking it from a crystal glass over the course of a meal is well below the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's action level of 1 to 2 milligrams per liter in beverages.

But pour that wine from a bottle, not from a decanter kept on your sideboard. Or if you're determined to use that fancy decanter to impress your dinner guests, don't put the wine in it until only an hour or so before serving.

We brought some dishes back from Mexico and they occasionally have a white film on them. It appears when they dry after washing. Is it possible that this is an indication of lead in the ceramic? If so, can we test for it?

Without analyzing it, I can't tell you what the white film is. But many clays used for pottery contain salts that can be extracted into hot water and then dry up on the surface. Ceramic ware can indeed contain lead, however, especially in the glazes, and that makes them hazardous for food use. Acidic foods are most effective in extracting lead from ceramics and earthenware.

Utensils manufactured in the United States can be expected to conform to the FDA's limits of lead content, especially in items intended for contact with food. But the materials used by independent craftspeople in this country may not have been inspected for lead content and should be viewed with suspicion.

Consumers should also be wary of pottery made in other countries. While commercially imported goods are inspected, travelers often bring home indigenous earthenware. The last time I was in Mexico I bought several bowls and cazuelas (terra cotta cooking dishes), all the while wondering whether I would risk using them after I got home. As it happens, I was spared having to make that decision because they all arrived broken.

But I could have tested them for lead, as can you. Many inexpensive lead test kits are available in hardware and paint stores and on the Internet. Just Google "lead test kit" and take your choice. But bear in mind that the sensitivities of these kits vary, and small amounts of lead may go undetected. Even for a utensil that tests negative, play it safe by not keeping food in contact with the utensil for any more time than necessary.

Robert L. Wolke (http://www.robertwolke.com) is professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. His latest book is "What Einstein Told His Cook 2, the Sequel: Further Adventures in Kitchen Science" (W.W. Norton, 2005). He can be reached atwolke@pitt.edu.