HQ Team
May 2, 2023: Del Maguey Co., majority-owned by Pernod Ricard, will voluntarily recall certain ceramic ware artisan cups used to drink an alcoholic beverage, mezcal, in the US due to excess levels of leachable lead.
The copitas, a small cup for sipping mezcal, typically have a round rim and a round body with a flat base. The design is intended to get your nose close to the mezcal and make it sip easily.
The cup is made of red clay, with applied enamel on the surface that holds liquid inside. It holds a maximum of 1 oz and measures 2.5 inches wide and 1 inch in height.
The cups were distributed free of charge to consumers at retail locations, events, and tastings across the US. Copies were also included in value-added packs sold by retail stores since October 2022.
The value-added packs included a 750ml Del Maguey Vida de Muertos mezcal bottle and four copitas. “This recall covers all copitas distributed by Del Maguey to date,” according to a USFDA statement.
Embossed brand name
The embossed brand name “Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal” can identify the copies, which encircles the word “Mexico” on the inside of the cup.
The traditional materials used for mezcal capita glasses are clay, ceramic, stone, copper, and glass. The stone and glass are the modern variations.
Mezcal, sometimes spelt mescal, is made from any type of agave, both wild and cultivated.
No complaints of illness or injury related to the usage of the copies have been reported. Del Maguey is conducting a voluntary recall purely as a precautionary measure, according to the FDA.
Spirit products available
Del Maguey spirit products are not a part of this recall.
Lead exposure is measured by testing for the lead level in a person’s blood. The use of lead pipes can contaminate water used in food production, and lead used in pottery or other food contact surfaces can leach into foods.
Exposure to large amounts of the substance can cause lead poisoning, according to the USFDA, which initiated the recall. The poisoning can affect every bodily system.
The FDA recommends limiting lead to 10 parts per billion in fruit, vegetable, and meat packaged products, such as jars, pouches, and tubes. Dry cereal should have no more than 20 parts per billion of lead.
The long-term adverse health effects of consuming lead vary depending on the level in the food or water, length of exposure, age of the consumer, and other exposures —either to lead from other sources, other contaminants, or to beneficial nutrients.
Infants, children
Fetuses, infants, and children are particularly vulnerable to the potentially harmful effects of lead exposure because of their smaller body sizes, metabolism, and rapid growth.
Exposure to high lead levels during active brain development can lead to neurological effects such as learning disabilities, behaviour difficulties, and lowered IQ.
Chronic lead exposure is associated with kidney dysfunction, hypertension, and neurocognitive effects in adults.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses a blood lead reference level of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter to identify children with higher blood levels than most.
