Question from RuthAnn
I recently purchased tin cookie cutters made by a local artisan made in the metjod of the 1800’s using hand tools to give as gifts to nieces and nephews seven years and younger with the thought they could use them when helping their mothers to cut out cookie dough. Later I called him to find out about lead content. He uses solder that contains 50% lead. When I mentioned lead free solder he said that contained antimony which is worse. Should I be concerned about a health risk to these children? The cutters are soldered on the inside at one small spot so their hands would likely not even be touching that spot. But I don’t want to give them as gifts if there is any possible risk. Please comment. Thank you
Debra’s Answer
Well, without seeing them I can’t say for sure, but even if they don’t touch the solder, if the dough touches the solder, the lead could get into the cookie dough.
I would say this is a VERY small exposure, if any, given the amount of time a hand might touch that spot and the short contact time the cutter would have with the dough. There are a lot more things that are a lot more toxic that I would focus on avoiding.
Plastic cookie cutters would have no problem with any harmful metals in the solder. As much as I don’t like plastic, the plastics used to make cookie cutters are not toxic, and may be the better choice in this case.
I know cutout cookies are fun and part of our culture, but they also are not a item essential to life. It’s possible to make great cookies without cutters at all.
In the overall scheme of things, this particular exposure is so small as to be insignificant, except for the fact that there is NO safe level of exposure to lead.
