Puzas is researching how lead in the bones may increase the risk of osteoporosis and make it more difficult for bones to heal after fractures. This means bones easily absorb lead and store it for dozens of years. Lead can invade the human body, according to Puzas, because of its chemical structure: It's similar to that of calcium. The Salt To Save Water, Should You Wash Your Hands Of Hand Washing Dishes? (The Lancet report relates the story of a Seattle couple who fell mysteriously ill the cause was lead poisoning from terracotta cups.) Acidic food or drink is especially likely to cause lead to leach out of ceramics, unfortunately for coffee drinkers with favorite earthenware mugs. If ceramics are baked for long enough at hot enough temperatures, they may still be safe, but if not, the lead can leach into food and cause lead poisoning. These glazes sometimes contain lead to give products an attractive shine, according to a 1988 report in The Lancet. How does lead wind up in a crockpot? Ceramic ware is glazed before entering a kiln to bake. That testing, according to an email from FDA spokesperson Megan McSeveney, is "based on some positive findings of extractable lead and cadmium from the glaze used in making ceramic ware over a number of years." Food and Drug Administration randomly tests ceramic food containers like crockpots for lead. But there's another search that also gets a lot of results: "crock pots and lead poisoning." A Google search of "I love my crockpot" turns up well over a million matches, including testimonials about their flexibility, ease and affordability. Crockpots - ceramic slow cookers that coax chili into tender perfection - can make home cooks wax poetic.
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