The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning about certain Indian cookware brands after testing found dangerous levels of lead in products sold to consumers. The alert highlights risks from utensils made by Saraswati Strips Pvt. Ltd. and other imported cookware items commonly used in Indian households.
FDA Warning on Tiger White Cookware
The FDA’s advisory, released on August 13, 2025, named the brand Tiger White, marketed as “pure aluminium utensils.” Tests showed that items under this label, including kadais and other cooking pots, leached lead into food. “Retailers should discontinue sale and consumers should not use this product as cookware or food storage,” the agency stated in its public notice.
The cookware is manufactured in India by Saraswati Strips Pvt. Ltd. and carries the trademark number RTM No. 2608606. The company advertises its utensils as ISO 9001:2015 certified, but the FDA says the certification does not guarantee safety for food use.
Concerns About Aluminium and Alloy Utensils
The warning extends beyond one brand. The FDA reported that cookware made from certain alloys known as Hindalium, Indalium, or Hindolium, as well as brass and aluminium products, were also found to release lead. “Testing conducted by FDA and state partners revealed that these materials can leach lead at levels unsafe for human consumption,” the agency said.
Concerns about lead in cookware are not new. In March 2022, the FDA placed Rashko Baba Co. Ltd., another Indian manufacturer, under an import alert. Their aluminium and brass cookware was identified as a potential lead hazard. Local testing in Seattle and King County, Washington, later confirmed that several imported pans and pressure cookers leached lead in amounts that exceeded safe limits by thousands of times.
Health Risks of Lead Exposure
Dr. Patrick McGarey, Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the FDA, emphasized the health risks. “There is no safe level of lead exposure. Even small amounts can affect children’s neurological development and cause long-term harm,” he said.
The National Library of Medicine has published similar findings. A study found that many aluminium cookware items contained more than 100 parts per million of lead. When used for cooking or storage, they released enough lead to exceed daily safe intake levels. The research also noted the presence of cadmium, another toxic metal.
Health experts warn that children and pregnant women face the greatest risks. Lead exposure in children can cause delays in development, lower IQ, and behavioral problems. In adults, it is linked to kidney disease, anaemia, high blood pressure, and reproductive issues. Symptoms of lead exposure include headaches, stomach pain, fatigue, and memory loss.
Dr. Marie Schaefer, a pediatric toxicologist at Cleveland Clinic, explained, “The concern with cookware is chronic exposure. Families may use these utensils every day without realizing the cumulative impact on their health.”
FDA Advice for Consumers and Retailers
The FDA has asked consumers to check if they own cookware from the listed brands and discard it immediately. The agency advises against donating or refurbishing the utensils. Anyone worried about exposure should consult a healthcare provider and request a blood lead level test if necessary.
Retailers and distributors have also been told to stop selling the affected products. The FDA said it continues to monitor imported cookware and work with state and local partners to prevent unsafe items from reaching consumers.
The agency’s alert comes amid growing concern about imported consumer goods and their safety standards. While the FDA has not issued a full recall, officials say identifying distributors has been difficult, making consumer vigilance critical.
Unsafe Cookware List (per FDA)
| Brand / Material | Manufacturer | Issue Identified | FDA Action |
|---|
| Tiger White (Pure Aluminium Utensils) | Saraswati Strips Pvt. Ltd., India | Leached dangerous levels of lead | Safety alert issued August 2025, advised to discard |
| Aluminium, Brass, Hindalium/Indalium/Hindolium alloys | Various | Found to leach lead during cooking and storage | Products flagged as unsafe |
| Rashko Baba Co. Ltd. cookware | Rashko Baba Co. Ltd., India | Aluminium and brass cookware identified as lead hazard | Import alert issued March 2022 |
| Various imported pans, appam pans, and pressure cookers | Multiple | Local testing found lead leaching thousands of times over safe limits | Public health warnings issued |
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