First, does anyone know whether there is any danger of ingesting the aluminum from cookwear if it's not in the layer that touches the food? Any way it can work it's way up through the stainless, for example?
Second, what about aluminum cans that things come in? Do canned goods still come in tin?
Third, tonight, I bought some of that Tom's brand aluminum-free deodorant. Is that safe for those of us with the common multiple "allergens" which produce food reactions in some of us?
Yours, Luce
Aluminum in things?????
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi Luce. I found an interesting article at the FDA website about tin cans (and the canning process). Here's the part that answers one of your questions, namely does some food still come in tin cans:
"In the traditional three-piece cans, a welded side seam has replaced the
lead-soldered side seam in all but 3.7 percent of American cans, says NFPA
official Roger Coleman. The welding process uses electrodes that apply
pressure and electric current to overlapping edges at the side seam. These
new seams eliminate concern about lead leaching into metal canned foods. In
the 3.7 percent of U.S. cans where lead still is used, it is often for dry
foods (such as coffee) packaged in cans, according to Coleman. Leaching is
not a concern here."
"Many imported cans, however, still bear lead-soldered side seams. To tell
whether a can has been soldered with lead, first peel back the label to
expose the seam. The edges along the joint of a lead-soldered seam will be
folded over. Silver-gray metal will be smeared on the outside of the seam. A
welded seam is flat, with a thin, dark, sharply defined line along the joint."
(from http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/CONSUMER/CON00043.html )
So...I guess we all still should check the cans themselves and be extra cautious about imported foods.
Love,
Carole
"In the traditional three-piece cans, a welded side seam has replaced the
lead-soldered side seam in all but 3.7 percent of American cans, says NFPA
official Roger Coleman. The welding process uses electrodes that apply
pressure and electric current to overlapping edges at the side seam. These
new seams eliminate concern about lead leaching into metal canned foods. In
the 3.7 percent of U.S. cans where lead still is used, it is often for dry
foods (such as coffee) packaged in cans, according to Coleman. Leaching is
not a concern here."
"Many imported cans, however, still bear lead-soldered side seams. To tell
whether a can has been soldered with lead, first peel back the label to
expose the seam. The edges along the joint of a lead-soldered seam will be
folded over. Silver-gray metal will be smeared on the outside of the seam. A
welded seam is flat, with a thin, dark, sharply defined line along the joint."
(from http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/CONSUMER/CON00043.html )
So...I guess we all still should check the cans themselves and be extra cautious about imported foods.
Love,
Carole
Carole???? Who's Carole???? 
Just teasing.......you usually sign as Carrie and it threw me off for a minute!
Love ya Carole or Carrie (whomever you are today)
Mars
Just teasing.......you usually sign as Carrie and it threw me off for a minute!
Love ya Carole or Carrie (whomever you are today)
Mars
"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful." -- Buddha
Hi Luce,
Carrie did a good job of covering the historical issue of lead seams on steel cans, (usually called "tin" cans. Here's a good discussion about the possible health risks of aluminum, that you were concerned about:
http://tinyurl.com/ey3e6
The bottom line seems to be that no connection to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), has been proven, but on the other hand, a connection cannot be ruled out, either.
Tex
Carrie did a good job of covering the historical issue of lead seams on steel cans, (usually called "tin" cans. Here's a good discussion about the possible health risks of aluminum, that you were concerned about:
http://tinyurl.com/ey3e6
The bottom line seems to be that no connection to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), has been proven, but on the other hand, a connection cannot be ruled out, either.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Anything packed or distributed in cans tastes like metal to me. It may just be one of my idiosyncrasies. Only one you ask????? ;-)
In my current eating mode that I feel so good on it is pretty easy to avoid. Organic/ non organic fresh green beans, broccoli, onions, garlic, fish, pork, beef free range chicken, fruit, nuts, tomatoes ........... you get the picture , all come minimally packaged or no package at all. I guess I just don’t find any reason to buy anything in a can , bottle or package anymore.
I hope that everyone has gotten rid of their aluminum pans. To say nothing of the the reported possible health risks IMHO nothing tastes good cooked in aluminum. Several years ago I spent a couple of months making table tops for three different restaurants. They were all delivered through the kitchen in off hours. I could not help but notice that all the pans were deeply pitted aluminum. My guess from cooking acid foods like tomatoes that eat away the pan. I mentioned it to a neighbor who has been a restaurant cook for many years and he said he had never worked in a restaurant that did not have a high percentage of aluminum pans just for economic reasons. I hope things have changed. I have not eaten “out” for a long time so I don’t know.
It may be that part of the problem we all find in eating out is that we are actually eating the pans. HaHaHaHa!
Thanks for the interesting subject
Matthew
In my current eating mode that I feel so good on it is pretty easy to avoid. Organic/ non organic fresh green beans, broccoli, onions, garlic, fish, pork, beef free range chicken, fruit, nuts, tomatoes ........... you get the picture , all come minimally packaged or no package at all. I guess I just don’t find any reason to buy anything in a can , bottle or package anymore.
I hope that everyone has gotten rid of their aluminum pans. To say nothing of the the reported possible health risks IMHO nothing tastes good cooked in aluminum. Several years ago I spent a couple of months making table tops for three different restaurants. They were all delivered through the kitchen in off hours. I could not help but notice that all the pans were deeply pitted aluminum. My guess from cooking acid foods like tomatoes that eat away the pan. I mentioned it to a neighbor who has been a restaurant cook for many years and he said he had never worked in a restaurant that did not have a high percentage of aluminum pans just for economic reasons. I hope things have changed. I have not eaten “out” for a long time so I don’t know.
It may be that part of the problem we all find in eating out is that we are actually eating the pans. HaHaHaHa!
Thanks for the interesting subject
Matthew
All of you had such good information!
I'm not surprised about the restaurant pans.
I've heard that when pans are pitted that is when the leakage is at it's worst. Will assume that if the aluminium is in the inner core, that the stainless steel will protect us from it. Think they use it inside, supposedly for more even heating, right? Also, it's light weight, and probably costs less in raw materials.
Thanks!
Yours, Luce
I'm not surprised about the restaurant pans.
I've heard that when pans are pitted that is when the leakage is at it's worst. Will assume that if the aluminium is in the inner core, that the stainless steel will protect us from it. Think they use it inside, supposedly for more even heating, right? Also, it's light weight, and probably costs less in raw materials.
Thanks!
Yours, Luce
My husband was against aluminum pans for years and was after me to get rid of mine. When the kids were growing up ... we just could not afford to replace the cookware... but over the years I finally switched to all stainless steel pots and pans. The stainless ones never did pit no matter how much chili and spaghetti sauce and soups I made.
Hubby was also against teflon! He was right again! I was afraid stuff would stick to the stainless pots and pans without a coating in them.. but was pleasantly surprised to find that stuff does not really stick all that much.
I still have a few aluminum things with teflon but they aren't used all that much (foreman grill, griddle).
grannyh
Hubby was also against teflon! He was right again! I was afraid stuff would stick to the stainless pots and pans without a coating in them.. but was pleasantly surprised to find that stuff does not really stick all that much.
I still have a few aluminum things with teflon but they aren't used all that much (foreman grill, griddle).
grannyh
I'm a little confused about some of this coating business. Is ALL coating made out of the Teflon stuff? What about some that say "anodized?" I've always just assumed that it's still the same.
Have a few fairly new coated ones including a big grill pan, but since then, I've gotten another grill pan without coating, and it's stainless steel, on the outside, at least. Sure would love to have another one just like it, only smaller.
Yep, grannyh, I don't know what all the fuss is about in terms of things sticking, but I've noticed that I like the way some things cook, at least on the surface of some foods pretty well in my regular coated fry pan. Still, I'll give it up when it becomes the least bit worn, especially if it's a Teflon byproduct.
I really need to bring the rest of my own stuff over here since I cook here all the time -- lots of nice tri-ply that's stainless, on the outside, small fry pans that are just right for fixing things for just Mom and myself when it's just the two of us.
Now, I'm wondering about using aluminum foil in the little toaster oven???? The one we are actually using right now is probably the smallest size, so I'm not sure that I can find anything else that's low enough on the sides to fit inside that oven. Well, maybe I could use the little flat ramican-like oval white bowls that I have. They'd be big enough to hold a small piece of salmon, and probably even better to hold in the flavorful sauces that I like to flavor em with. Could serve em in those, and the salmon would stay warm longer.
Does anyone know if aluminum foil is worse in terms of leaching into foods that are cooked in it? Would it be dangerous to use the little white ramican-like shallow bowels? The sides on them are rather low, so they shouldn't trap in the heat all that much.
Also, those disposable aluminum things are sooo popular for taking casseroles to parties and things, but they could be used for other "safe" dishes. These are good because there's no need to clean em up or take em back home. Lots of restaurants cater using these, and I've seen BBQ delivered in these.
Wow, sure is funny how ya don't even think of all the uses of something until you discover it's somehow bad for you! Must take an awful lot of it, though, to contribute to any ailments or we'd all be really sick or goofey by now.
Yours, Luce
Have a few fairly new coated ones including a big grill pan, but since then, I've gotten another grill pan without coating, and it's stainless steel, on the outside, at least. Sure would love to have another one just like it, only smaller.
Yep, grannyh, I don't know what all the fuss is about in terms of things sticking, but I've noticed that I like the way some things cook, at least on the surface of some foods pretty well in my regular coated fry pan. Still, I'll give it up when it becomes the least bit worn, especially if it's a Teflon byproduct.
I really need to bring the rest of my own stuff over here since I cook here all the time -- lots of nice tri-ply that's stainless, on the outside, small fry pans that are just right for fixing things for just Mom and myself when it's just the two of us.
Now, I'm wondering about using aluminum foil in the little toaster oven???? The one we are actually using right now is probably the smallest size, so I'm not sure that I can find anything else that's low enough on the sides to fit inside that oven. Well, maybe I could use the little flat ramican-like oval white bowls that I have. They'd be big enough to hold a small piece of salmon, and probably even better to hold in the flavorful sauces that I like to flavor em with. Could serve em in those, and the salmon would stay warm longer.
Does anyone know if aluminum foil is worse in terms of leaching into foods that are cooked in it? Would it be dangerous to use the little white ramican-like shallow bowels? The sides on them are rather low, so they shouldn't trap in the heat all that much.
Also, those disposable aluminum things are sooo popular for taking casseroles to parties and things, but they could be used for other "safe" dishes. These are good because there's no need to clean em up or take em back home. Lots of restaurants cater using these, and I've seen BBQ delivered in these.
Wow, sure is funny how ya don't even think of all the uses of something until you discover it's somehow bad for you! Must take an awful lot of it, though, to contribute to any ailments or we'd all be really sick or goofey by now.
Yours, Luce
I don't know if all of the non stick coatings are teflon. I do know they said teflon was in lots of things you would never think of.. including candy wrappers and fast food wrappers.
I don't use my toaster oven for anything but toast.. but have started to use more glass containers in my microwave oven instead of plastic (Glad containers).
grannyh
I don't use my toaster oven for anything but toast.. but have started to use more glass containers in my microwave oven instead of plastic (Glad containers).
grannyh
Luce,
When something is teflon coated, the teflon is sprayed on like paint, and then baked, in order to make the coating "set up".
Anodized coatings are applied by means of an electrolytic process, and are usually used on aluminum or magnesium, (but can be used on other metals), in order to harden the surface for improved wear, or corrosion resistance, or to provide a color change. (Paint will not stick to aluminum, that's why colored aluminum siding, for example, is anodized).
To address your concerns about coatings and/or aluminum or plantics leaching into food, here are some information sites that discuss this issue.
Here's what the U S Govt. says about the risk of plastics leaching into food:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says while it is true that substances in plastics can leach into food, "the agency has assessed migration levels of substances added to regulated plastics and has found the levels to be well within the margin of safety based on information available to the agency. The FDA will revisit its safety evaluation if new scientific information raises concerns." (See http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/602_plastic.html).
In that article, the FDA says a chemical called diethylhexyl adipate, used to make some plastics flexible, may be released when certain foods, especially fatty ones such as meat and cheese, are wrapped in plastic. But it says "the levels of the plasticizer that might be consumed as a result of plastic film use are well below the levels showing no toxic effect in animal studies."
Here is a quote about using aluminum, from the article that I cited in my post above:
Should I stop using aluminum cookware and aluminum foil?
No. Studies have shown that the amount of aluminum that leaches from aluminum cookware and aluminum foil into food is generally negligible.
If you are concerned about foil, and other packaging materials, read the information on this site prepared by the Food Safety and Inspection Service, (FSIS), of the USDA:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Oa/pubs/meatpack.htm
Here is what they say about aluminum foil with "pits", for example:
If Aluminum Foil Pits, Is Food Endangered?
Pinholes in foil or a blue liquid that may form on the food that has come in contact with the foil are not harmful. These reactions can occur when salt, vinegar, highly acidic or highly spicy foods come in contact with aluminum foil. The product is a harmless aluminum salt and presents no safety problem if consumed, however it can be trimmed off to improve the food's appearance. Some aluminum salts are used in antacid medicines for the treatment of stomach disorders.
This site also mentions the fact that in 1995, the Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule prohibiting the use of lead solder in all food cans, including imported products. (Lead was phased out in domestic production by 1991).
In reality, if you get down to microscopic levels, probably no material that contacts our food is totally without risk. We have to select what we feel is the safest, and be satisfied with that, since peace of mind is sometimes as important as any other consideration.
At least that's the way I see it.
Wayne
When something is teflon coated, the teflon is sprayed on like paint, and then baked, in order to make the coating "set up".
Anodized coatings are applied by means of an electrolytic process, and are usually used on aluminum or magnesium, (but can be used on other metals), in order to harden the surface for improved wear, or corrosion resistance, or to provide a color change. (Paint will not stick to aluminum, that's why colored aluminum siding, for example, is anodized).
To address your concerns about coatings and/or aluminum or plantics leaching into food, here are some information sites that discuss this issue.
Here's what the U S Govt. says about the risk of plastics leaching into food:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says while it is true that substances in plastics can leach into food, "the agency has assessed migration levels of substances added to regulated plastics and has found the levels to be well within the margin of safety based on information available to the agency. The FDA will revisit its safety evaluation if new scientific information raises concerns." (See http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/602_plastic.html).
In that article, the FDA says a chemical called diethylhexyl adipate, used to make some plastics flexible, may be released when certain foods, especially fatty ones such as meat and cheese, are wrapped in plastic. But it says "the levels of the plasticizer that might be consumed as a result of plastic film use are well below the levels showing no toxic effect in animal studies."
Here is a quote about using aluminum, from the article that I cited in my post above:
Should I stop using aluminum cookware and aluminum foil?
No. Studies have shown that the amount of aluminum that leaches from aluminum cookware and aluminum foil into food is generally negligible.
If you are concerned about foil, and other packaging materials, read the information on this site prepared by the Food Safety and Inspection Service, (FSIS), of the USDA:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Oa/pubs/meatpack.htm
Here is what they say about aluminum foil with "pits", for example:
If Aluminum Foil Pits, Is Food Endangered?
Pinholes in foil or a blue liquid that may form on the food that has come in contact with the foil are not harmful. These reactions can occur when salt, vinegar, highly acidic or highly spicy foods come in contact with aluminum foil. The product is a harmless aluminum salt and presents no safety problem if consumed, however it can be trimmed off to improve the food's appearance. Some aluminum salts are used in antacid medicines for the treatment of stomach disorders.
This site also mentions the fact that in 1995, the Food and Drug Administration issued a final rule prohibiting the use of lead solder in all food cans, including imported products. (Lead was phased out in domestic production by 1991).
In reality, if you get down to microscopic levels, probably no material that contacts our food is totally without risk. We have to select what we feel is the safest, and be satisfied with that, since peace of mind is sometimes as important as any other consideration.
At least that's the way I see it.
Wayne
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.