Question from I.V.
I recently bought a food strainer from Ikea in Emeryville, CaliforniA. The clerk said it was stainless steel. The product or the label itself does not state the metal it is made of. The product stated it was “Made in China”, “design and quality Ikea of Sweden”.
Is there someway I can verify that it has no lead in it as I will probably put hot foods in it that have been blanched or otherwise heated and do not want lead to leach into the food or water if I stick the colander into hot water.
Also, there is a small soldered attachment on the bottom for it to rest on the table and out of the water and a handle which is also soldered to the colander.
Am I being over cautious about lead from China or is this something I should have checked out somewhere before using it for hot foods and in hot water?
Thanks. iv
Debra’s Answer
You can test anything you are wondering about for lead using Lead Check Swabs.
I’m not really concerned about lead in a colendar sold at Ikea. Ikea is pretty environmentally aware and has eliminated a lot of toxic chemicals from their products. I would be surprised if they sold a colendar containing lead.
Still, it’s always wise to test if you have a concern.
