The FDA added six imported cookware products to its ongoing lead-leaching safety table on October 15, 2025. The agency’s testing found that these products may release lead into food under conditions designed to mimic cooking or food storage. Consumers who own one of the listed items should stop using it for cooking or food storage, should not donate or refurbish it, and should dispose of it according to local requirements.
This is a warning about six identified products—not proof that all aluminum, brass, Hindalium, Hindolium, Indalium, Indolium, or imported cookware is unsafe. The FDA’s surveillance remains active, and the agency says additional products may be added.
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The six cookware products added to the FDA table
The October 15 update is sometimes described as involving “six brands.” More precisely, the FDA table identifies six products. Several are generic product descriptions or retailer and manufacturer labels rather than conventional, widely established consumer brands.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kadai/Karahi Aluminum Hammered Kadai, Size 7 | Aluminum | Indian Supermarket, Sacramento, California | Indian Cookware & Appliance LLC, San Jose, California | Distributor notification was in progress in the October 15 version; the later FDA table records a recall initiated October 17, 2025. |
| Brass Pot | Brass | Santos Agency Inc., San Leandro, California | Not specified in the dossier | The later FDA table records a recall initiated November 12, 2025. |
| Dolphin Brand Aluminum Saucepan | Aluminum | Al Monsoor Video Inc., doing business as Diya Handicrafts, Chicago, Illinois | Dolphin Brand | The later table says the retail location discarded remaining products. |
| 2-quart Aluminum Saucepan | Aluminum; made in Pakistan | Best Kitchen Supply, Washington, D.C. | Town Food Service Equipment Co., Inc.; distributor listed as Win Chong Trading Corp., Brooklyn, New York | The later FDA table records a recall initiated October 17, 2025. |
| 3-quart Aluminum Saucepan | Aluminum; made in Pakistan | Best Kitchen Supply, Washington, D.C. | Town Food Service Equipment Co., Inc.; distributor listed as Win Chong Trading Corp., Brooklyn, New York | The later FDA table records a recall initiated October 17, 2025. |
| Royal Kitchen Cookware Milk Pan, Size 3 | Cookware product; material listed in the FDA’s affected-product context | Subzi Bazaar, Rochelle Park, New Jersey | New Reliance Traders Inc., Maspeth, New York | The later FDA table says the distributor was notified of the sample results. |
Product descriptions, sizes, retailer names, and status can change as the FDA updates its table. Anyone trying to identify an item should compare the complete FDA listing—not just a cookware color, shape, or material—with the item in their home.
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What consumers should do now
- Stop using a listed product. Do not use it for cooking, simmering, serving, or storing food.
- Remove it from food-contact use. Set it aside so it cannot accidentally be used by another household member.
- Do not donate, resell, or refurbish it. Passing the cookware to a thrift store, community organization, friend, or online buyer could expose someone else.
- Follow current disposal or recall instructions. Check the FDA’s current product entry and any retailer or distributor instructions before disposing of the item.
- Contact a healthcare professional with exposure concerns. This is especially important if a child or pregnant person may have regularly eaten food prepared or stored in the cookware, or if a blood-lead result is elevated.
Do not assume that washing, polishing, seasoning, lining, or otherwise refurbishing a listed item makes it suitable for food use. The FDA’s advice is to throw away cookware that may leach lead, not to restore it for continued use.
What “lead leaching” means
Lead leaching is the movement of lead from a cookware surface or alloy into food or a liquid that contacts it. It is different from merely finding a small amount of total lead somewhere in the product. For a food-contact item, the key consumer-safety question is whether lead can migrate out of the cookware under realistic conditions and become part of what people eat.
FDA and state partners tested affected cookware under conditions intended to mimic food contact. The Seattle–King County investigation used a dilute acetic-acid solution comparable to household vinegar, simmered it in cookware for 15 minutes, and measured another sample after it stood for 24 hours at room temperature. This type of testing is designed to examine release under cooking and storage scenarios, rather than relying only on the cookware’s appearance.
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Acidic foods and liquids, heat, and prolonged contact can be relevant to migration. However, consumers should not try to reproduce the government testing at home and then treat an informal result as a clearance certificate. The FDA’s recommendation for a listed item is to stop using it.
Why these products were tested
The FDA says the affected products include imported cookware made from aluminum, brass, and aluminum alloys marketed under names such as Hindalium, Hindolium, Indalium, and Indolium. The investigation involved the FDA and the Public Health Department of Seattle and King County after testing of imported cookware and reports of elevated blood-lead levels among resettled refugee populations.
The investigation developed over several years. The FDA added Rashko Baba Co. Ltd. to an import alert in March 2022 and helped provide a cookware lead-leaching test method to the local health department in June 2023. The October 15, 2025 update was therefore part of continuing surveillance, not an isolated review of one retailer.
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A peer-reviewed study associated with the investigation found that some tested aluminum cookware released substantial lead under simulated cooking and storage conditions. The stainless-steel cookware tested in that study released much lower levels. That result helps explain why stainless steel is a reasonable replacement category, but it does not mean every stainless-steel product is automatically lead-free, nor does it represent an FDA endorsement of a particular brand.
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The FDA describes lead as toxic and says there is no known safe level of exposure. Children and fetuses are particularly vulnerable. At high exposure levels, lead can contribute to learning and behavioral problems and lower IQ in children. Chronic exposure in adults can affect the kidneys, blood pressure, and neurocognitive function.
If a child has regularly eaten food prepared in a listed pan, speak with the child’s healthcare provider about whether an evaluation or blood-lead test is appropriate. Pregnant people or people who may become pregnant should also discuss a possible exposure with a clinician. People who are breastfeeding and are concerned about their own exposure or an infant’s exposure should ask their healthcare provider for individualized advice rather than stopping breastfeeding or taking another major step based solely on a cookware alert.
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Symptoms are not a reliable way to rule out lead exposure. Many people with lead exposure do not notice immediate symptoms, so healthcare advice should be based on the circumstances and, when appropriate, testing.
Why a home lead swab cannot clear the cookware
Consumers may be tempted to buy a home lead test kit and swab a pan. A consumer kit may be useful for limited screening in some contexts, but it should not be used to prove that cookware is safe for cooking. These tests can have sensitivity, sampling, interpretation, and surface-coverage limitations. A negative swab does not necessarily show that the product will not leach lead into food.
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- 【High-Performance Nonstick Coating】 Equipped with a premium nonstick coating, our pots and pans offer exceptional durability and performance. Easy to clean and free from harmful chemicals like PFOA, it ensures a healthier cooking experience.
- 【Secure Removable Handle】Cookware set features a cutting-edge removable handle with a secure locking mechanism. This ensures a stable and reliable grip during cooking, so you can cook with confidence every time.
- 【Convenient Storage and Cleaning】 The detachable handle design saves valuable storage space and simplifies cleanup. Easily remove the handle for a quick and thorough wash, keeping your cookware and kitchen spotless.
- 【Versatile Compatibility】 Pots and pans sets are suitable for a wide range of heat sources, including induction, gas and ceramic hobs. Ensure that the cookware sets are uniformly heated in a stable and efficient manner under all cooking conditions.
- 【Durable Construction & Quality Service】 Made of high-quality aluminum, both the pot itself and the removable handle have been rigorously tested to ensure durability and stability over long periods of use. When you buy our brand, you will get reliable products and attentive after-sales service.
Choosing a replacement
A stainless steel saucepan is a reasonable replacement category for someone removing a listed aluminum or brass saucepan. The peer-reviewed study from this investigation found much lower lead release from its tested stainless-steel cookware than from some tested aluminum items. That evidence supports stainless steel as a practical choice, not as a guarantee that every product is free of every contaminant or as proof that a particular product is FDA-approved.
If several affected pieces need replacing, a stainless steel cookware set may be more convenient. Check the product’s construction, intended use, care instructions, and seller information. Material alone is not a universal safety certification, and buyers should be cautious about unsupported “non-toxic” or “lead-free” claims.
What this FDA warning does—and does not—say
It does say:
- The six identified products may leach lead into food under test conditions designed to mimic food contact.
- Consumers should stop using listed cookware for cooking or food storage.
- Consumers should not donate or refurbish the cookware for continued food use.
- The FDA’s surveillance list may change as testing continues.
- Lead is toxic, and children and fetuses are especially vulnerable.
It does not say:
- That every aluminum, brass, Hindalium, Hindolium, Indalium, or Indolium cookware item is unsafe.
- That every unit of a visually similar product has the same leaching profile.
- That every person who purchased one of the products was exposed or became ill.
- That a negative home swab proves a pan is safe.
- That all stainless-steel cookware is universally toxin-free or FDA-approved.
The FDA also states that no FDA regulations authorize lead for use as a color additive or food additive, including as a component of foodware, cookware, or food-contact surfaces. The practical takeaway is product-specific: identify the listed items, remove them from food use, and monitor the FDA’s alert as the agency continues its work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all aluminum or brass pots unsafe?
No. The FDA warning identifies six specific products that may leach lead under test conditions. It is not a declaration that all aluminum, brass, or imported cookware is unsafe.
Can I keep using a listed pan if I only cook nonacidic food in it?
The FDA advises consumers to throw away cookware that may leach lead into food. Do not rely on food type, visual inspection, seasoning, or a home swab to clear a listed item for cooking or food storage.
Should I get a blood-lead test?
Ask a healthcare professional. Testing decisions depend on the person’s age, pregnancy status, exposure history, and other factors. Seek individualized medical advice if a child, pregnant person, breastfeeding person, or other household member may have been exposed.
Is stainless steel guaranteed to be lead-free?
No. A study associated with this investigation found much lower lead release from the tested stainless-steel cookware than from some tested aluminum cookware, making stainless steel a reasonable replacement category. That finding is not a universal guarantee or an FDA approval of every stainless-steel product.
The Bottom Line
Check your cookware against the FDA’s current six-product list. If you have one of the listed items, stop using it for cooking or food storage, do not donate or refurbish it, and follow current disposal or recall instructions. Contact a healthcare professional about possible exposure—especially for children and during pregnancy. The alert is serious, but it is product-specific: it does not make all aluminum, brass, or imported cookware unsafe.
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