The consumer can reduce their exposure to lead by eating different foods according to general dietary recommendations for a balanced, varied and moderate diet.
The greatest sources of lead in food are fish and canned fish, root vegetables, vegetables, fruits, berries, and grains and cereal products. However, the emphasis of these food categories as sources of lead is because they are used frequently and in large quantities. Risk assessment carried out by Evira found that in the food categories mentioned, a significant share of the control samples examined in Finland had a lead content below the limit of detection of the analysis method. This means that avoiding a food category in the diet does not necessarily reduce lead exposure but may even increase it.
It pays to critically assess the condition and suitability of the containers for food use. The safest thing to do is to not use old ceramic jugs and worn, cracked and chipped containers. The daily use of old inherited tableware is also not recommended. Ceramic jugs and mugs brought back as souvenirs may leach lead into food and should only be considered as decorative items. It is not advisable to store acidic beverages or alcohol in crystal glass containers because they dissolve lead from the glass into the beverage.
People who eat game shot with lead bullets should avoid not only the gunshot wound but also an area of at least 10 cm of the normal-looking meat surrounding it.
High levels of lead have been reported in some traditional Asian herbal medicines. The traditional medicine “bint al Dhahab” used in Arab countries is lead salt. The lead exposure of consumers of such products can be many times higher than the lead exposure from food and domestic water, and at worst it can even cause lead poisoning.