“How much Lead is in my vintage Corning casserole?” Here are pictures of each one I’ve tested, with links to test results.
For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website:
Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005).
- Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama, LLC — a unique community collaborative woman-owned small business for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety.
- Since July of 2022, the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC has been responsible for five product recalls (FDA and CPSC).
- All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable.
- Please check out our press page to see some of the amazing coverage of our work so far this year!
Check back here periodically for updates. Each time I write up a new piece I will add its picture to the photo grid below and link to the article with specific test results.
Click any of the images below to see the corresponding XRF test results (listing all metals found) for that exact item pictured.
If you appreciate this work and would like to see more test results like this, please consider contributing to the GoFundMe for our advocacy work: http://www.GoFundMe.com/LeadSafeMama.
I do take “requests” — as, here in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, I live near quite a few antiques and collectibles stores and could easily go purchase something that you might want tested (for anyone that can make a contribution to cover the cost of the item and a bit toward the cost of testing); please e-mail me if you are interested in having me purchase something specific to test.
If you are interested in participating in the “regularly-scheduled programming” of periodic consumer goods testing that I normally coordinate here on this site, here is an article outlining more information about how that generally works.
As always, thank you for reading and sharing this work.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
Never Miss an Important Article Again!
Join our Email List
I would like to know if you have tested any of the PLAIN WHITE baking dishes of Pyrex. I have an older set but there are no flowers anywhere on them. I guess to be safe, I need to discard them. Up till today when I read this I use them often. Oh dear….:(
Thank you kindly.
Hi Barbara, thank you for commenting!
Here’s a link to a plain white piece: https://tamararubin.com/2017/02/vintage-milk-glass-small-pyrex-mixing-bowl-893-ppm-lead-90-is-unsafe-in-childrens-items/
There are over 2,000 posts of things on this blog (things I have tested with their test results) so you can use the search bar on each page to look for other items you own. You might need to fiddle with keywords a bit to find a post. Example: for this I put “white pyrex bowl” in the search bar and did not find it and then just put “pyrex bowl” and found it!
Tamara
P.S. Barbara… with the plain white I am not AS concerned as with the painted items as – at the levels found – the Lead is likely bound in the glass to a large degree BUT I don’t think that has been well studied (in terms the potential impact on human health) and given the age of the pieces + their lead level I personally would not use pieces with this amount of Lead and do not think it is prudent to use anything with any amount of Lead for food use purposes unless there is no better alternative (like the Instant Pot – has Lead, but is the lowest lead appliance of its kind.)
Lead free mixing bowls are inexpensive and easily found: https://tamararubin.com/2016/12/some-good-lead-free-mixing-bowls-choices/
Tamara
I’m interested in the plain white and one with blue iris. Thank you so much
What would you recommend for a dish to reheat food in? I have a bunch of these and will be getting new dishes just to be safe. Thanks so much for all the info!
Modern glass pyrex or anchor hocking glass casserole dishes
Hi there! I have pyrex plain white baking casserole dishes w glass tops, would they have have issues?? They would be 25-30 years old.
Thank you.
How about the newer French white corningware bake dishes with the glass lids? Some have the little rivets on the outside some are smooth, but all have no designs. Just plain white in color. Have you had a chance to test those? We use them all the time and I have a toddler in the house. 🙁 I’m nervous!
I have a set of Centura tulip embossed dinnerware that I got when I got married (1972). I would like to know the lead content before I pass them along to someone else. I would hate to think I had been feeding my kids lead during their formative years. But, I did loved them because they never chipped.
My husband commented that he had read an article stating that corningware with the cornflower pattern on was not safe to use as it contained excess lead. Is this true.
I have those as well. But my question is this: Is the problem with lead in JUST the blue cornflowers or is there lead in the white dish itself as well?
The white part of the dish does not have Lead (in most cases, but not all). – Tamara
Thanks for getting back to me so promptly!
Hi Tamara; Firstly, thank you for the great work you do for all of us! I have a question; I have Corningware (c. 1985-1990) Pastel Bouquet Pattern Casserole dishes and Vintage (1972-1988) Corning Spice-o-Life Casserole dishes that I received as a bridal shower gift in 1986. I have been using them all these 35+ years. I see on your website that they tested high for lead and cadmium. Is it possible that all or most of the lead and cadmium has been leached out by now? I’m sure my husband and I need to do a detox. I do liver flushes/cleansing, but I digress. I have other patterns of Corningware casserole dishes that I don’t see on your website that I received at the same time (in 1986), as well as Corelle dishes. I assume they probably have lead and cadmium too.
Are the Pyrex dishes with the wheat pattern on front consider safe?
I also have corning ware dishes Shadow Iris are they ok to use?
I am interested to find out the answer about the French white corning ware that is all white ( no painting) and sidekick small baking dishes that are also all white.
I have the same question. I have a vintage French white casserole with lid. I think it’s from 1986. Does it have lead? Can I still use it. Thanks for your important hard work.
My neighbor gave me all her Pfaltzgraff pink rose dishes , cups, saucers, dessert dishes,bowls, casserole dishes, etc. Have you tested them Are they safe to eat food off of?
Hello Tamara,
What you are doing here is incredibly important. What a positive impact you make on the world! My question… I am just not seeing, and maybe missing, a section where you have lead-free or acceptable levels for those of us who have no income , thus need to buy at second-hand stores. If I knew what to keep my eyes open for, I could eventually stock up on safe stuff. But I am looking for a section that says ‘ok to buy’ so I am not straining my eyes to look through every single pattern. Lyme has messed with my ability to do such things.
Thanks for all you do!!
Meg
Hi Meg – if you follow my posts with overall guidelines for purchasing they can be applied to any brand. For example here’s the one for pots and pans:
https://tamararubin.com/2021/01/i-want-to-buy-some-nontoxic-cookware-which-pots-pans-are-the-safest-for-cooking-which-pots-pans-are-the-least-toxic/
Look here for some other categories and guidelines:
https://tamararubin.com/store/
Hello,
Do you happen to know if there is a way of ‘sealing’ the paint design to contain the chemicals. I assume as with lead paint its an issue with scratching/ removing the surface…do they ‘off gas’ without damage?thanks
Is there a way to know for certain if a casserole dish with a pattern falls into the unsafe category? I have my mom’s from the 70’s and while they look close to the designs you’ve featured, I don’t see mine specifically.
Which patterns do you have?
Are there any inserts that people can purchase to go inside pottery casserole dishes to render them safe to use? If so, where do we buy them?
I have a question about the white Corning ware with the black tulips. Are the safe or do they do contain lead? I don’t want to throw them away if they’re safe but don’t want to keep if they contain lead. Please help. Thank you for all that you do!!!