FDA Warns: Imported Cookware May Leach Lead
This FDA cookware warning came in hot on August 13, 2025. And we’ll cut right to the chase: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is urging consumers to stop using certain imported aluminum and brass cookware because tests have revealed it may be leaching dangerous levels of lead into food.
FDA Alerts Consumers: Imported Cookware May Leach Lead into Food
The issue centers around a type of metal alloy: Hindalium, Hindolium, Indalium, and Indolium. These alloys, commonly found in some imported cookware, are mixtures of aluminum and brass and have been shown to release lead when cooking or storing food. This is a whole new level of cookware lead contamination.
One of the brands that was flagged is Tiger White, made by Saraswati Strips Pvt. Ltd. in India.
Specifically, deep pots called kadais or karahis, sold at Mannan Supermarket in Jamaica, New York, were tested and found to leach lead. The FDA could not locate a distributor to pull them off the shelves, so they are still potentially out there.
What’s the Danger Behind Lead Leaching Pots?
There’s no safe level of lead exposure. Even small amounts can be harmful. And the FDA says that young children, pregnant or breastfeeding moms, and fetuses are especially at risk.
Lead exposure can lead to serious health problems. In children, it has been linked to trouble learning, lower IQ, and behavior changes. In adults, fatigue, headaches, stomach pain, vomiting, and neurological issues have all been reported.
What’s The FDA Lead Cookware Alert Asking Us To Do?
There are three steps you can take, depending on your circumstances:
If you have pots labeled under the Tiger White brand or anything similar that might be Hindalium, Hindolium, Indalium, or Indolium, throw them out immediately. Don’t try cleaning, refurbishing, or donating them.
If you think you’ve used the cookware and are worried you or your family have been exposed, check in with your doctor right away.
If you’re a retailer or distributor, make sure your cookware passes the FDA’s lead leach tests, or other valid tests, and consult the FDA if you’re not sure.
Imported Aluminum Cookware Lead: A Broader Concern
This FDA alert is not an isolated event. In December 2024, the FDA issued a similar warning to retailers and distributors about lead leaching from imported cookware made of these suspicious alloys.
That came after tests in Seattle-King County flagged items tied to high lead levels in refugee children. Some brands were then blocked by import alerts.
We should all be concerned about imported aluminum cookware containing lead, and this August 2025 alert is a reminder for us to stay on our toes.
Staying Safe In The Kitchen
This FDA cookware warning is a clear reminder that what we cook with matters just as much as what we cook.
Lead leaching pots are dangerous, even without obvious signs of damage, and, again, there’s no safe level of exposure. Together, let’s take a few minutes to check our cookware and remove anything that seems suspicious. We all want our kitchens to be filled with comfort and healing, not hidden risks.