Exact XRF Readings For This Dish
When tested with an XRF instrument, this Mikasa English Countryside (White DP900) China from 1993 (purchased at a Mikasa outlet store in the state of Maine, made in Malaysia) had the following readings [on the FOOD SURFACE of the plate!]:
- Lead (Pb): 26,200 +/- 600 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 1,228 +/- 80 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 976 +/- 175 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 78 +/- 27 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 183 +/- 43 ppm
- Zirconium (Zr): 1,868 +/- 66 ppm
Non-Detect for: Cadmium, Mercury, Barium, Chromium, Antimony and Selenium.
Is this reading accurate?
All readings on this website have been done for a minimum of 60 seconds per reading (unless otherwise stated), and are replicable, science-based and accurate. Tests are repeated multiple times to confirm the results. Testing is done with an XRF instrument specifically designed for testing for Lead in consumer goods (the same instrumentation used by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission for testing for heavy metals in consumer goods made for use by children.)
Is this a lot of Lead?
This is a lot of Lead – especially in light of the fact that modern dishes can be easily and inexpensively made with Lead-free substrates and glazes; there is no defensible reason for using one of the most potent neurotoxins known to man in the surface coating of a food-use product intended for every day use (3X a day – with every meal).
For context: the amount of Lead considered unsafe (and illegal) in items intended for use by children made today (2019) is anything 90 ppm Lead or higher in the paint, glaze or coating, and anything 100 ppm or higher in the substrate (the base clay of ceramic plates, for example).
Dishware is exempt from these regulatory standards, because (for some inexplicable reason), it is not considered to be “an item intended for use by children”, and therefore does not have any limit for total Lead content [as detectable with an XRF instrument]; this incredible lack of any regulatory limit for [XRF-detectable] Lead content applies to both vintage and new dishware.
Is Mikasa generally a problem?
In my decade-plus of experience testing consumer goods, most Mikasa of this vintage tests positive for very high levels of Lead. Given the amount of Lead, and the age of these dishes, I do not consider this china safe to eat off of. While they may have been leach-tested at the time of manufacture – and determined to be “safe” — i.e. fell within relevant regulatory standards (solely time-of-manufacture leach-testing) at that time, I have no confidence that they are not leaching now — after 20+ years of regular daily use (serving up 3 meals a day and years of being subjected to acids, bases, heat, detergents; service, mechanized and hand scrubbing, drying, stacking, and other surface abrasion, etc.).
To read more about the concern for Lead in vintage dishware and pottery, click here.
To see more pieces I have tested from Mikasa, click here.
As always, thank you for reading and for sharing my posts.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
I am wondering if you could test Mikasa GARDEN HARVEST dishes. I have a set and am concerned.
Hi Margaret,
If they are of this same era (20+ years old) I would definitely have concerns about their Lead content.
I have not tested that pattern that I recall, however if you would like to send a dish in to me for testing – here’s the link that talks about how to do that. Thank you! https://tamararubin.com/2019/08/tamara-can-i-send-you-one-of-my-dishes-to-test-for-lead/
Tamara Rubin
Did you ever receive a plate to test of Mikasa’s Garden Harvest pattern?
Did you ever get a chance to test this pattern?
Cac29
Garden harvest
Have you tested Mikasa Italian Countryside?
If it is older than 10 years old it most likely has lead. If it is older than 20 years old it probably has an unsafe level of lead on the food surface of the dish. Please look through some of the examples for similar dishes of a similar age. Mikasa is generally a horrible and unethical brand when it comes to the use of Lead in their glaze and decorative elements. I would not use or buy anything from that company ever.
https://tamararubin.com/2020/12/todays-theme-mikasa-click-this-post-to-see-links-to-all-the-posts-i-have-written-about-mikasa-brand-products/
Tamara
I would like to speak with concerning your findings. This China was selected for our everyday dishes in, you guessed it, 1993.
We’ve used it everyday and raised four kids on it. Your findings are very concerning.
Hi Sam, I would recommend getting tested for Lead. I would also recommend asking Mikasa to exchange the dishes for a Lead-free set. Here’s some additional information about testing:
Blood: https://tamararubin.com/2019/02/blood-lead-testing-please-get-everyone-in-the-family-tested-since-you-have-been-living-in-a-house-with-high-lead-paint/
Hair/Urine:https://tamararubin.com/2020/05/i-heard-that-urine-and-hair-tests-for-heavy-metals-including-lead-were-not-real-or-useful-test-results-why-is-this/
I am available for phone consultations, but take a look at the above considerations first. I worked with one family where the child was likely poisoned from daily use of their Mikasa dishes: https://tamararubin.com/2019/11/mikasa-ultima-hk-301-cameo-platinum-57500-ppm-lead-in-the-glaze-this-dish-was-a-likely-source-of-poisoning-of-a-child/
Tamara
We have a mixed set from Malaysia and Japan. Are the dishes from Japan also of concern? And thank you for your quick response.
Hi there,
Just needing clarification- we have this set and I’m not exactly sure when we got it, but I think 2015. Is the manufacturing date the same year you buy it or how can I find out when they manufactured it? Should I just assume it is all toxic?
Thank you,
Hayley
Hi Tamara,
I’m blown away by all this…Seriously!!! I stumbled across your page while trying to research a very modern Mikasa pattern offered via ETSY that has clean lines and was meant to bring the Diner forward in thinking with iymts unique designs and elements. It was naturally very was popular right after the mid century pattern of Mikasa’s from the 1950s. I believe it’s called Tiki?
I’m really in shock learning about all this. How is it that this toxic mess hasn’t been all over the media? Did Mikasa get fined or have their been lawsuits against them? Have their been recalls?
My dear loving and generous Aunt Anna passed away this past April after suffering for many years from dementia and then ultimately progressing into full blown Alzheimer’s Disease for many years. Aunt Anna was so kind to remember us so graciously with such an important treasure from their lifetime together and being it was wedding gift from her beloved parents. She bequeathed her beloved Mikasa China set that her parents purchased in one of the large New York City high end department stores that prided itself on selling upscale gorgeous accessories. Once I learned they decided to bequeath my wife and I their gorgeous fine China I knew we had a responsibility to her and my uncle. Their wedding gift that they bestowed to us and to be treated right! She knew we would cherish it and continue the traditions of a big weekend extended football game feasts or the sacred holiday dinner when given the opportunity in the family rotation. Having 25 people for a sit down dinner with multiple dining room table extensions and multiple menu choices is just another get together at our house. Just like it was at hers. Lots of good delicious Italian food memories were created eating off those special Mikasa plates.
Now I’m terrible worried. Both my aunt and uncle suffered terribly from kidney and liver damage. My uncle had kidney cancer that spread to his liver. The set is presently boxed and packed into my storage unit offsite. Now I sit and wondering if my Aunt Anna’s beautiful set will also be one of the flagged designs that tested positive for elevated lead levels in the glaze? I’m going to retrieve a plate next weekend and take a picture of the back of it so I can research this issue more diligently by knowing the exact age and name of the pattern I’ve inherited. May I follow up with you Tamara just to check in with you in case you could be aware of other information or findings related to the vintage Mikasa set I will be researching?
One consolation of all this is crazy, my dear Aunt Aunt won’t have to learn about these lead issue or contend with it. She would have been overwhelmed and in tears knowing her precious china may have made them sick or worse, but more that that, admit to her self that mommy and daddy’s gift wasn’t just storybook perfect. . Stay tuned…..