ok I am pretty confused if it belongs to Parenting or Household affairs.. even though I am starting with the example for children but I would like to hear more abot the healthy homes in general..
Recently, we were sent the lab results of a Pakistani child whose blood lead level was way greater than the acceptable 10µg/dL.. the lead protection agency visited their house.. got everyone tested in a household of six members- everyone had a high BLL.. checked everything in and out- couldn’t find anything and a few days later they ended up sending the samples of Shan and National masala.. National chili powder and shan turmeric, both had high lead content in it.. we got the reports back and everyone questioned me about the “autehncity” of these two brands.. guess what, I have them at my house too!!! Board of Health is trying to implement a regulation in the town to ban the selling of shan and national products.. I dunno how far this will go because this is an individual town’s decision with only a few Pakistanis here.. but it got me thinking, we are all aware of high sodium in these spices but still use them occassionally.. what am I going to do with all those spice boxes in my kitchen? Do I need more data or just the fact that it’s not god for health anyway.. I must stop using it!What’s your take on it?
Also, how many of you get your children blood lead level tested.. I just got to know that babies from 9 months to 3 years are required to get tested but not all phsyicians do the tests so you should ask for it…how true is that?
This opens up the pandora box of other thinsg that we can or should do at our houses..
Do you take an extra caution while buying cleaning products and check the labels for harmful ingredients? as welll as how much caution do you practice for using cleaning products in the house? What abour air freshners that’s considered one of the asthma triggers???
Scarey. I know that there was a "Sudan1" or "Sudan Red" food colouring scare a couple of years ago. Its a banned carcinogenic food colouring in red chilli powder that was found in some Shan masalas and some chilli powders from India.
My mum never uses the boxed stuff, always mixes her own bcos she doesn't trust them. I use them sometimes though, but will try to stop now.
Also, some surma's have been found to contain lead, this was realised in some place in America when pakistani kids were found to be affected, it was put down to the surma imported from pakistan.
ok I am pretty confused if it belongs to Parenting or Household affairs.. even though I am starting with the example for children but I would like to hear more abot the healthy homes in general..
Recently, we were sent the lab results of a Pakistani child whose blood lead level was way greater than the acceptable 10µg/dL.. the lead protection agency visited their house.. got everyone tested in a household of six members- everyone had a high BLL.. checked everything in and out- couldn't find anything and a few days later they ended up sending the samples of Shan and National masala.. National chili powder and shan turmeric, both had high lead content in it.. we got the reports back and everyone questioned me about the "autehncity" of these two brands.. guess what, I have them at my house too!!! Board of Health is trying to implement a regulation in the town to ban the selling of shan and national products.. I dunno how far this will go because this is an individual town's decision with only a few Pakistanis here.. but it got me thinking, we are all aware of high sodium in these spices but still use them occassionally.. what am I going to do with all those spice boxes in my kitchen? Do I need more data or just the fact that it's not god for health anyway.. I must stop using it!What's your take on it?
Also, how many of you get your children blood lead level tested.. I just got to know that babies from 9 months to 3 years are required to get tested but not all phsyicians do the tests so you should ask for it...how true is that?
This opens up the pandora box of other thinsg that we can or should do at our houses..
Do you take an extra caution while buying cleaning products and check the labels for harmful ingredients? as welll as how much caution do you practice for using cleaning products in the house? What abour air freshners that's considered one of the asthma triggers???
OMG! This is the first time I am hearing of this!! I only use Shaan for the biriyani masalas. I am wondering..which ingredients contain lead and do we need to worry about other masalas available??
Anyone got more information I can read up on this??????
WOW...Shaan masalas...!!...
who could have thought about this that they can contain lead....
I dont recall it now but there was something I read about lead poisoning and its prevention...and there were certain state laws regulating it....I'll look for it again....just for information...
I think it was declared mandatory for the PCP's to perform the test on kids less than 3 years of age....
Secondly,I have to say that I have never checked for the harmful ingredients in the cleaning supplies etc...maybe if there were kids around I would do it ....
to answer your question if the pediatricians get your kid tested for lead poisining, no they do not if you live in a house built after 70’s/80’s (can’t remember which one it is).
Now my question to you is .. do you know if that family used Shan masalas on a regular basis? If I am not wrong normally people use these masalas occasionally or atleast I do, and such less use of em should not have caused lead poisining the way it did for that particular family, right?
Rupayhalwa.. it can’t be a conspiracy by Indians or anyone else for that matter.. I work for the health department that is predominantly white, we got the results from the pediatrician, we had to send them to the State Department of Public Health, they did the testing and sent the lead protection agency to their house to investigate the matter.. they ruled out everything before they tested the spices just because everyone in the house had high BLL.
wild.. I will see if I can share some report information with you guys.. it wasn’t an ingredient thing but we are still trying to figure out how the lead got in there.. our guess is probably the machines they use have lead paint on them.. They have tested various sample of shaan and national masalas and they all had it… I guess there is something wrong with the manufacturing plant there not any particular ingredient itself!
Sara.. we are talking about shaan/national boxes that were tested for lead.
sumorani.. tell me about it.. I have a cabinet full of these masalas
Sajal baji.. it’s for houses built after 1978.. but there is enough evidence that lead has been found in toys here in the US.. so it’s highly recommended that tests are done.. in fact it’s required in MA to have the first Lead test between the age of 9-12 months.. here is a link to CDC website for toys recalls that had lead in it.
and yes the family used shaan masala very often- what I remember is 4 Ibs of meat and a full packet of spices.. thats a lot but still even a small amount of lead can affect you.. you really dun need a high dose of it!
Chipsy.. there is a lot of information available on CDC website.. state Department of Public health website.. and by the way thanks for addressing my other question too.. I was really interested in knowing about other things as well. I love Easy off but thats the most dangerous thing we can ever use in our house.
Rupayhalwa.. it can't be a conspiracy by Indians or anyone else for that matter.. I work for the health department that is predominantly white, we got the results from the pediatrician, we had to send them to the State Department of Public Health, they did the testing and sent the lead protection agency to their house to investigate the matter.. they ruled out everything before they tested the spices just because everyone in the house had high BLL.
Thanks for the info, btw I meant that in jest bcos of the likelihood of Paksitani's to create conspiracy theories and assign the blame on other countries for something going on in their own back yard.
I work for the health department that is predominantly white, we got the results from the pediatrician, we had to send them to the State Department of Public Health, they did the testing and sent the lead protection agency to their house to investigate the matter.. they ruled out everything before they tested the spices just because everyone in the house had high BLL.
Thanks for this info, although I don't use shan masalas very often I can still let others know about its dangers. Can you please post the link of the page from State dept of public health regarding this report?
CA..I haven't seen anything on the shan recall yet so it hasn't been posted on the website.. Besides that individual cases are not posted on the website or shared with anyone due to HEPA regulations- I will see what I can obtain from the nurse or the lead protection agency that can be shared with everyone without giving out any patient information.
So many people, here and in Pakistan, know that Shaan masalas contain lead. Other boxed masalas do as well but it's definitely higher in Shaan ones. My mom has always told us about it, and I also found out from my mil a couple of years back which surprised me because she said she found out while she was in Karachi and the dukaandaar himself told her that many people there have stopped purchasing boxed masalas because of this reason. It doesn't really surprise me.. almost everything made in Pakistan has milawat in it.
this is scary..
Pardon my ignorance, what other masalas do you guys use?
I'm ashamed to admit that I rely a bit too much on Shan, I guess I'll just to look for something else.
Re. the cleaning products, I started using natural stuff about 3 years ago when I was expecting my first.That is when I found out how dangerous some of these products can be.
Ever since then, I use vinegar a lot.Baking soda is also pretty helpful.
I have a little spray bottle with diluted vinegar in it, and it's pretty effective.
