Spice of Life, Lead in Death: Unmasking a Global Lead Poisoning Crisis
2025-07-12
A decades-long public health crisis of lead poisoning affecting millions of children worldwide has finally begun to see significant progress. A New York City detective specializing in toxic element exposure and a California PhD student, through painstaking investigation across continents, uncovered the source of a high rate of lead poisoning in Bangladeshi children: lead chromate added to turmeric to enhance its color. Their findings prompted swift action by the Bangladeshi government, drastically reducing lead levels. This success story, however, highlights the broader global problem, demanding continued international cooperation to tackle the pervasive presence of lead in various consumer products.