Taipei  - Taiwan's Consumer Foundation recently warned consumers to avoid using disposable eating utensils because they may contain high levels of lead.

Coloured eating utensils, especially the yellow, orange and green ones, are particularly hazardous because of their high lead content.

The foundation issued the warning after checking the health hazard posed by 41 kinds of disposable eating utensils sold by shopping malls or used at fast-food outlets.

The samples included disposable bowls, spoons, drinking straws and utensils for stirring coffee. Of these, up to 14 per cent contained a high level of lead which was almost at Taiwan's permissible level of 100 parts per million (ppm).

The items containing high levels of lead included four types of drinking straws, one type of disposable spoon and one type of coffee stir. They were made of polypropylene or polystyrene.

The foundation ordered manufacturers to reduce the lead content in these products for the sake of consumers' health.

Wu Chia-cheng, professor of chemistry at the National Taiwan Normal University, said exposure or consumption of high levels of lead can damage the kidneys and the nervous system and cause anaemia, and is especially dangerous to children as it can impair their learning ability. (dpa)