Families can be exposed to lead from various sources, including paint, dust, soil, lead service water pipes, and food products, such as spices. Lead ingestion is particularly harmful to children. To better address lead risks in spices, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is partnering with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (NDHHS) and local health departments to collect and analyze spice samples, aiming to identify potential exposures to children and families.
A growing number of lead poisoning cases in Nebraska can be traced to spices as the primary source of exposure. Some of these spices are brought into the U.S. by new immigrant and refugee families, while others are available at local ethnic stores. NDA’s Laboratory has started testing potentially contaminated samples collected during lead poisoning environmental investigations.
The goal of environmental investigations is to locate the source(s) of lead exposure. If investigators rule out exposures to lead paint and other sources, spices are then considered an alternative source. Inspectors will focus on spices based on their quantity, frequency of use, and origin, particularly those purchased abroad. Samples are then collected and submitted to the NDA laboratory for analysis.
Autumn Waldron, NDA laboratory supervisor, is featured in a video describing the collection process for spice samples. View the video here: https://youtu.be/NDQhPgqmeN4. NDA lab chemists have been testing spices for lead as part of the Food Emergency Response Network surveillance program and through a testing contract with the Douglas County Health Department (DCHD). To date the NDA Lab has tested 725 samples under the DCHD testing contract. NDA is expanding the testing outreach, based on the success with DCHD, with the new partnership with NDHHS to help keep Nebraska families safe and healthy from lead.
For more information regarding lead poisoning prevention efforts in Nebraska, please visit NDHHS website: https://dhhs.ne.gov/pages/lead.aspx. You can also email NDHHS with any questions: dhhs.epi@nebraska.gov.
NDA Laboratory Staff Tests for Lead in Imported Spices
