Nanjing has nowhere to check whether ceramic tableware is 'toxic'

 I heard that a group of toxic ceramic tableware was investigated in Guangdong, and many Nanjing citizens began to worry. Ms. Wu, who wants to take the ceramic tableware from her home, has to check it. When asked, there is no institution in Nanjing that specializes in testing ceramic tableware.

 Recently, the Guangdong Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce announced the quality monitoring of daily-use ceramic products in the circulation field of Guangdong Province in 2010, in which 8 products with excessive lead and cadmium dissolution were detected.

 Does the lead and cadmium dissolution exceed the standard? Quality supervision experts said that the main source of lead and cadmium dissolution is ceramic glaze decoration materials, such as glaze pigments, decals. Lead and cadmium in ceramics are most likely to be dissolved when exposed to heat and acid, which seriously endangers human health. Because both lead and cadmium are toxic heavy metals, long-term intake will affect the function of human hematopoiesis, nerves, kidneys and other organs, causing great harm to human health.

 I did not expect the ceramic tableware with excessive lead and cadmium to have such serious consequences. Ms. Wu was very surprised. She called the quality supervision department and asked if she could send the ceramic tableware for inspection. As a result, the staff of the Nanjing Quality Supervision Department said that because Nanjing does not produce ceramics, there is currently no special facility for inspecting ceramic tableware. It is reported that in most non-ceramic producing areas in the country, there are not many such testing institutions with qualifications.

 It is difficult to send inspections, so how should consumers buy qualified ceramic tableware?

 Consumers can choose tableware without decals and glazes, so as to minimize contamination by lead and cadmium. Quality supervision experts said, but this is not absolute, because lead cadmium may also be dissolved in white glaze. It is recommended to go to the regular shopping mall to buy a brand with high credibility. When selecting glazed ceramic products, consider the decoration of the flower surface. Products that are not in direct contact with food, or that have less decorative material in direct contact with food.

 Zhang Jianhong, director of the Guangdong Provincial Ceramic Products Quality Supervision and Inspection Station, said in an interview that the general dishes are all acidic, and lead and cadmium are more easily dissolved after being placed in a microwave oven. Therefore, it is safer to buy pure white, undecorated tableware. In addition, consumers should use less glazed daily-use ceramics to store acidic foods.