Poisoning Case Leads to Tamale Steamer Ban

SANTA ANA — Lead-poisoning of a 4-year-old Santa Ana girl has prompted an import embargo on a Mexican-made brand of tamale steamer.

The Eagle Brand steamers sold in Southern California have been found to contain unsafe amounts of lead, according to Orange County public health officials.

The steamers are bucket-shaped, about 14 inches tall and one foot in diameter at the base, county officials said. They are described as having rough, poorly soldered seams.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the temporary restriction on importation after Orange County public health employees investigated elevated levels of lead in the 4-year-old.

Three of the tamale steamers were found in the child’s toy closet, although health officials could not say with certainty that the cookware led to the unhealthy lead levels in her system, according to the July-August public health bulletin issued by the Orange County Health Care Agency.

Testing of identical steamers sold at an unnamed Santa Ana grocery store showed that some had twice the lead content allowed by state health codes, the bulletin said. The cookware also exceeded federal levels.