Lead has been found in several products containing imported chili peppers and salt, mostly from Mexico.
Mexican candies were removed from U.S. shelves in 2006 because lead levels exceeded federal standards. In 2010 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) called for "detention without physical examination of candy due to lead." The recall was issued for 39 types of candy imported from Mexico, China, and the Philippines, a University of Nevada press release reported.
Researchers tested imported hot sauces, which contain similar ingredients, and found the lead levels fell into the "unsafe" range.
The team purchased 25 bottles of hot sauce (imported from Mexico and South America) from ethnic grocery stores, and a swap meet.
The researchers shook the bottles for 60 seconds and then tested the lead and pH levels. The hot sauce's packaging was also tested, as lead in certain materials has been known to "leech into" food products.
Sixteen percent of the tested brands contained lead concentrations over 0.1 ppm, which is the federal limit.
The offending brands were: "El Pato Salsa Picante, Salsa Habanera, Salsa Picante de Chile Habanero and Bufalo Salsa Clasica," ABC reported. All of these products were imported from Mexico.
A safe level of lead concentration has not yet been found. The contaminant can affect basically any organ in the body. It is absorbed faster in children, and has been linked to: "learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and even seizures, comas and death," the press release reported.
"The results indicate the need for more rigorous screening protocols for products imported in Mexico, including an applicable standard for hot sauce," Shawn Gerstenberger, a leader of the study, said. "Without enforceable standards for hot sauces and condiments, manufacturers will not be encouraged to improve quality control measures designed to reduce the amounts of lead and other toxic elements before exporting."
Gerstenberger also suggests states adopt policies to reject imported products with lead levels exceeding the recommended 0.1ppm.
